August 23, 2025

The sizzling news for all TikTok lovers in India – the TikTok website is now live for some users after a five-year break! Yes, you heard that right. The Chinese short video app that disappeared from India in 2020 is sparking a wave of excitement and plenty of chatter about a possible comeback. But before you rush to open TikTok, hold your horses – the app itself is still missing from Google Play Store and the App Store. Plus, TikTok's company has not made any announcements about returning. Now, here’s the spicy part – while some users get to peek into TikTok’s website, others still find it blocked. The tech team from Times of India took a curious dive and found they could only open the homepage. Trying to explore more was like hitting a lock! Clicking on “Newsroom” shows a message: “You don't have access to this page Our services aren't available in your country or region.” Even “Careers” returns a “503 Service Temporarily Unavailable” error. However, the 'Contacts' link is working, showing sections like 'Partners', 'Media Enquiries', 'Legal Enquiries', and 'Privacy'. Why was TikTok banned in India in the first place? Back in 2020, the Indian government banned TikTok along with 58 other Chinese apps including Shareit and CamScanner. The reason? National security fears! The Ministry of Electronics and IT said the apps were “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.” This tough stance sealed TikTok’s fate in India — for now. TikTok isn't just facing heat in India. The US is also thinking about banning the app. But former President Donald Trump had some plans. He said American companies are ready to buy TikTok, and he may extend the deadline for ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent firm, to hand over its US operations. Meanwhile, TikTok is shaking things up, laying off staff in the UK to focus more on artificial intelligence (AI) for content moderation. So, what's cooking? Is this TikTok website glimpse India’s first step towards a full comeback, or just a tech teaser? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure – TikTok fans in India are keeping their fingers crossed and eyes wide open!

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Tags: Tiktok, India ban, Chinese apps, Website launch, Bytedance, National security,