Chinese app ban a watershed moment for home-grown companies

YouTube vs TikTok, Sonam Wangchuk’s call for the ban on Chinese products, and the government’s ban on Chinese apps have brought in an opportunity for Indian app makers to make their presence felt and counted for.

As millions of TikTok users hunt for alternatives to the Chinese app now banned in India, home-grown companies have seen a massive surge in downloads over the past week. Some app makers even draw parallels with demonetisation that changed the country’s fintech industry.

TikTok had over 20 crore users in India, most of them in the 16-24 age bracket. Several entrepreneurs are now batting to grab the attention of these TikTok users.