BS READS: What happens if the axe falls on Chinese smartphone brands

Chinese mobile brands are deeply entrenched in the Indian market. A move to bar them may send a bold diplomatic message. But its cost for the local industry is anybody's guess

Diplomatic dialogue and China’s retreat from some key strategic outposts along the border had cast an image that India’s relations with its neighbour are correcting. That was until September, when hundreds of Chinese troops occupied areas on the Indian side of Pangong Tso lake in a fresh show of aggression.

Avoiding armed conflict, India retaliated the way it did in the past--making Chinese businesses pay. So, another set of Chinese apps was banned on September 2, this time 118, including the hugely popular game PUBG by Tencent. India argued that the apps “collect and share data in a surreptitious manner