Facebook, Instagram, TikTok: Indian Army asks personnel to remove 89 apps from phones by July 15

Amid rising tensions with China and concerns over data privacy, the Indian Army on Wednesday asked its personnel to delete 89 apps from their phones.

Issuing an order, the Army asked personnel to delete popular apps such as Facebook, Truecaller, Instagram and games like PUBG from their mobile phones.

The latest instruction comes as a bid to plug leakage of sensitive national security information from phones of armed forces personnel.

The personnel have also been asked to delete dating apps such as Tinder and Hinge and homestay app Couchsurfing as well as news apps like Daily Hunt.

The Army has set July 15 as the deadline for the security forces personnel to remove the 89 apps from their phones.

However, they will be allowed to use social media and messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, YouTube and Twitter as long as they don't reveal their army background on the platforms.