As border tensions between India and China escalated yet again, the government mounted a fresh strike on China and Chinese-controlled apps, banning as many as 118 new apps for engaging in activities “prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order”.
The biggest casualty in the fresh round of bans - a total of 106 apps had already been blocked in two separate decisions over the last couple of months - is PUBG, the world’s most lucrative mobile game whose largest subscriber base is in India. Indeed, last year, when a mother had complained to PM Narendra Modi about her son’s online gaming addiction during his ‘Pariksha pe charcha’ event, the PM had quipped, “Yeh PUBG wala hain kya (does he play PUBG)?”
The total number of Chinese apps that have been banned in India now stands at 224 and there are indications that more may follow. The latest decision, which was widely expected in view of the tough stance of the government against Chinese-controlled entities, squeezes the dominance of China in the Indian internet and apps space and deals their global valuations another blow. They include such popular apps as TikTok, UC Browser, Helo, Likee, Shareit, Mi Community, WeChat, Baidu, CamScanner and now PUBG.
Ban to ensure safety, security of Indian cyberspace
Saying the move to ban 118 apps would safeguard interests of millions of Indian mobile and internet users, the government termed the decision “a targeted move to ensure safety, security and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace.”
The ministry of electronics and information technology said that it has received many complaints from various sources, including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India.
“The compilation of these data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures,” the government said in the order which widens the ambit against the Chinese internet establishments.
Apart from gaming, many of the apps that have been banned are from random categories such as utility; business; camera and photo-editing; entertainment and dating; productivity; and news. These include AliPay; Ludo World; Rise of Kingdoms; We-Chat Work; Baidu Express Edition; Amour Video Chat; Beauty Camera Plus; MV Master. Also, VPNs for TikTok have also been banned.
