India's app ban may prove a major setback to global ambitions

The ban on Chinese apps may not directly impact on their revenue, but certainly it may dissuade the ambition of global sky. The ban may prove a major setback for many China based internet giants waiting for their chances in foreign market.

Apps from some of the largest Chinese technology companies, including Alibaba, Bytedance, Baidu, Tencent, Xiaomi, YY Inc and Lenovo, which have been building up user bases of millions in India now exist no more. Even more worryingly for them, India's move could set a global precedent, said experts tracking the digital economy.

Unlike US tech majors like Facebook and Google, which have been able to build big businesses in Europe and Asia, India and Southeast Asia are some of the markets that large Chinese companies have been betting on to show that they can succeed beyond their home turf.

With no global competitors at home due to the great Chinese firewall, many of these companies have flourished in their huge domestic market, generating billions in profits. They have used these funds to expand globally, either through investments or direct operations.