New Delhi, Jun 2 (PTI) A new tool called 'Remove China Apps' has gained popularity in India and crossed over 50 lakh downloads within weeks of launch with its promise of deleting Chinese apps from phones.

This comes at a time when anti-China sentiments are simmering in the country amid rising tension on the Indo-China border and the disruption in lives on account of the COVID-19 pandemic that has its origins in Wuhan, China.

Also Read | Cyclone Nisarga in Mumbai: Here's A List of Safety Measures and Tips to Keep in Mind Before, During And After Storm Crosses Maharashtra-South Gujarat Coasts.

The 'Remove China Apps', which was released on May 17, deletes apps like TikTok, UC Browser and other apps that are purportedly Chinese in origin. It currently has 1.89 lakh reviews and holds a 4.9 star rating on the Google Play Store.

The makers of the app -- One Touch AppLabs -- claim that it has been "developed for educational purposes" to identify the country of origin of a certain application.

Also Read | What is a Cyclone? Know All About Cyclonic Storms Ahead of 'Nisarga', Which is Expected to Make Landfall at Maharashtra Coast Near Alibaug On June 3.

According to the company's website, it is based in Jaipur and the developers do not intend to use the app for commercial purposes.

Recently, another app called 'Mitron' also become immensely popular and the video app was touted as the homegrown competitor that would take on Chinese video-sharing app, TikTok. However, it appears that Mitron has been removed from Google Play Store and reports suggested that security concerns had prompted the move.

On social media also, this has been a hot topic of conversation with #BoycottChineseProducts trending on Twitter. Sonam Wangchuk - who was the inspiration for Aamir Khan's 'Phunsukh Wangdu' character in '3 Idiots' - had put out a video, urging Indians to boycott Chinese products and pointed out that China earns billions of dollars from its businesses in India that is then used to boost their military and kill Indian soldiers.

Among prominent names, actor-model Milind Soman answered the clarion call and said he had quit TikTok.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)