ByteDance to setup a second corporate entity in India

ByteDance is expected to file an application with the government within weeks.

TikTok is owned by ByteDance. (REUTERS)

TikTok-owner ByteDance is betting big on India. The company is planning to strengthen its foothold in India by setting up a second corporate entity in the country.

According to a report by The Economic Times, the new entity is likely to provide information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services to all of its platforms across the globe including the ones in India. In addition to that, the entity would also work on content generated across all its platforms and the issues that the company has been facing in various countries across the globe.

ByteDance, as of now, has a total of five apps in its portfolio. This includes the popular video-sharing app TikTok, social media platform Helo, Xigua Video, content discovery platform Toutiao and Chinese version of TikTok, Douyin. Additionally, the app has a workforce of 60,000 employees and a total of 15 research and development centres across the globe.

“There will be data and technology transfer into India with ByteDance looking to ramp up its workforce in India, a market where the company will look to create a centre of excellence over the near-term,” one of the sources told the publication.

The Beijing-headquartered company is expected to file an application with the government and local regulators in the coming few weeks.

Notably, the development comes at a time when heightened tensions between India and China has prompted a backlash against the Chinese goods in the country. While netizens are increasingly boycotting Chinese goods with #BoycottChineseProducts campaign on social media, an app called “Delete China Apps” is also gaining popularity among the masses. The app aims to rid your Android smartphone of all Chinese apps.