TikTok India: Rumors of App Return in August 2025 Debunked? Here Are the Facts

Liputan6.com, Jakarta Rumors about the return of the social media app TikTok in India have resurfaced.

This speculation arose after several users reported partial access to the TikTok website without using a VPN.

However, these rumors were quickly denied by the Indian government and TikTok itself, as reported by India Times.

The Indian government firmly stated that there was no change in the status of the TikTok ban.

They called claims of the ban being lifted "false and misleading."

“Government of India has not issued any unblocking order for TikTok. Any such statement/news is false and misleading," government sources said, as reported by Hindustan Times.

TikTok has remained officially blocked in India since the ban was imposed in June 2020.

The app, along with 58 other Chinese apps, was banned by the Indian government for national security and user data privacy reasons.

This ban was a major blow to TikTok, given that India was its largest market, with over 200 million active users before the ban.

India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) explained that the apps were involved in activities detrimental to India's sovereignty and integrity.

Furthermore, concerns about national defense, state security, and public order were also grounds for the ban.

This decision was taken following a deadly military clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley that same month.

While several Chinese apps that were blocked at the time have successfully resumed operations in India after making adjustments, TikTok is one that has not yet been allowed back in.

Rumors of TikTok's return in August 2025 began with reports of some users being able to partially access the TikTok website through desktop browsers.

However, neither the Indian government nor TikTok has issued official clarifications.

The Indian government confirmed there was no decision to lift the ban, and TikTok itself stated that access in India has not yet been restored.

A similar incident occurred in September 2022, where internet service providers (ISPs) accidentally unblocked restricted sites, including TikTok, while implementing a technical update.

The ban on TikTok in India has significant implications, given that the country is TikTok's largest market with a massive user base.

Before the ban, TikTok had nearly 200 million users in India, making it one of the most popular social media platforms there.

The loss of this market is a significant loss for ByteDance, TikTok's parent company.

ByteDance has been exploring various avenues to re-enter the Indian market for years.

Reports indicate discussions with Indian companies about potential partnerships or new business models that comply with local regulations.

However, to date, no formal agreements or permits have been announced by the Indian government.