TikTok’s official website has become accessible to a section of users in India, five years after the platform was banned by the government in June 2020. The short-video app, however, continues to remain unavailable on both Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.
The sudden accessibility of the TikTok website has raised questions about a possible re-entry of the Chinese-owned platform into the Indian market, which was once its largest user base with over 200 million active users. The app was among the 59 Chinese applications blocked by the Ministry of Electronics and IT on security and data privacy concerns following border tensions with China.
While users can now view TikTok’s landing page, the app itself cannot be downloaded or used officially within the country. ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, has not issued any comment on whether this signals a phased comeback or is merely a technical change.
Industry watchers say the platform’s potential return could reshape India’s short-video ecosystem, which has since been dominated by domestic players like Moj, Josh, and ShareChat, as well as global rival YouTube Shorts. However, any revival would depend on government clearance, given the national security concerns that led to the original ban.
For now, TikTok’s website visibility in India has reignited speculation, but the company’s full-scale operations remain uncertain.
