How long would you be willing to wait for your online shopping order to arrive? 2 weeks? 4 weeks? How about 4 years? That’s what happened to Nitin Agarwal, a tech blogger in Delhi.
Never lose hope! So, I ordered this from Ali Express (now banned in India) back in 2019 and the parcel was delivered today. pic.twitter.com/xRa5JADonK
— Tech Bharat (Nitin Agarwal) (@techbharatco) June 21, 2023
Many users were curious to see the contents of the parcel, which Mr. Agarwal revealed in a YouTube video to be a couple of belts for his wife, and a magnetically levitating lamp. While the items arrived unharmed and in decent condition, the lamp isn’t able to light up as the batteries necessary for it are difficult to find in India.
Social media users were quick to joke that the parcel must have been stuck on the Evergreen, while others shared similar experiences they had.
In the video, alongside his shock for going “viral”, Mr. Agarwal mentions that it is very hard to find spare parts for electronics in India, as most of these parts are manufactured in China, so most “techies” rely on apps like AliExpress to source these parts.
A Concerning Growth of Censorship in India
The reason behind the popularity of his tweet was likely the ban of AliExpress in India, since 2020, due to it being a Chinese app. Under section 69A of the Information Technology Act, the Indian government can ban an app – whether local or foreign – if it is felt to be a threat to national security, although the definition of what constitutes a national threat is quite vague. Though the exact number is debated, India has at one point banned up to 267 apps, due to security concerns. These apps famously include TikTok, Shein, and PUBG.
“I find this ban very absurd, because basically, the goods are being imported from China, regardless, but the consumers aren’t able to purchase it directly…I think this ban is unjustified.” – Mr. Agarwal in his YouTube video
India, China and Pakistan
India claims the banned apps had collected and transmitted data to “hostile” nations, but there has been criticism citing sinophobia and islamophobia as the true reasons behind the ban. Majority of the apps that have been banned are Chinese; India-China relations have historically been rather strained, with tensions growing in recent years, under PM Modi’s rule, which has been defined by an alarming rise in Hindutva, an extremist form of Hindu nationalism. Certain apps were also banned as the government alleged they were being used by Pakistani terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir, the most militarised zone in the world, with disputed ownership between India and Pakistan, despite having an independence movement of its own. India and Pakistan have also had tense relations since Pakistan’s inception in 1947, with it only worsening under Modi’s increasingly islamophobic policies.
In his video, citing the struggles of sourcing materials in India, Mr. Agarwal requested that these apps be “unblocked”, as there don’t seem to be any alternatives provided within India, or by its government. As India barrels towards facism, it seems intent on destroying its own industries and national growth, in exchange for a pathetically transparent facade of Hindu excellence and self-reliance, leaving tech-bros to wonder, where are they going to find the right batteries to light up their nation?
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