India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) formally issued a notification to ban the operation of 54 Chinese mobile applications in India that pose a threat to the country’s security (under the emergency provision envisaged in Section 69A of the Information and Technology Act, 2000), an official source at the “Ministry of Home Affairs” said on Monday.
Google and Apple confirm that they have “temporarily blocked access” to 54 banned apps from the Google Play Store in India following an order from the government of India.
This action comes into action after a long tension between two nuclear-armed nations (India and China), following a violent clash in Pangong Lake (eastern Ladakh border) along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Since then, both nations have deployed thousands of soldiers with heavy weaponry. India shares a 3,400-kilometre-long LAC with China, stretching from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh.
These apps are from massive Chinese origins, including Sea Ltd.’s marquee game Free Fire and big tech firms like e-commerce giant Alibaba, the biggest video gaming publisher Tencent, and NetEase (according to App Annie). These apps were refurbished versions of Chinese apps that India banned in 2020.
Last year, India banned a total of 270 apps, following the ban of 118 mobile apps, which included some popular apps like TikTok, Helo, WeChat, Kwai, Clash of Kings, Alibaba’s UC Browser, and UC News, Likee, Bigo Live, Shein, Club Factory, and Cam Scanner, among others, for citing a threat to the nation’s sovereignty and security.
List of 54 Banned Apps: Official Report (via Economic Times/ET Now)
- Beauty Camera: Sweet Selfie HD
- Beauty Camera: Selfie Camera
- Equalizer: Bass Booster, Volume EQ, and Virtualizer
- Music Player: Music, MP3 Player
- Equaliser and Bass Booster: Music Volume EQ
- Music Plus: MP3 Player
- Equaliser Pro: Volume Booster and Bass Booster
- Video Player Media in All Formats
- Music Player: Equaliser and MP3
- Volume Booster, Loud Speaker, and Sound Booster
- Music Player: MP3 Player
- CamCard for SalesForce Ent
- Isoland 2: Ashes of Time Lite
- Rise of Kingdoms: Lost Crusade
- APUS Security Lite 32 Support
- Parallel Space Lite 32 Support
- Viva Video Editor: Snack Video Maker with Music
- Nice video, Baidu.
- Tencent Xriver
- Onmyoji Chess
- Onmyoji Arena
- App Lock
- Dual Space Lite: Multiple Accounts and Clone App
- Dual Space Pro: Multiple Accounts and Account Cloner
- DualSpace Lite: 32- 32Bit Support
- Dual Space: 32- 32Bit Support
- Dual Space: 64- 64Bit Support
- Dual Space Pro: 32- 32Bit Support
- Conquer Online, a MMORPG Game
- Conquer Online II.
- Live Weather and Radar Alerts
- Notes: Colour Notepad, Notebook
- MP3 Cutter: Ringtone Make and Audio Cutter
- Voice Recorder and Voice Changer
- Barcode Scanner: QR Code Scan
- Lica Cam is a selfie camera app.
- EVE Echoes
- Astracraft
- UU Game Booster-network solution for high ping
- Extraordinary Ones
- Badlanders
- Stick Fight: The Game Mobile
- Twilight Pioneers
- CuteU: Match with the World
- SmallWorld: Enjoy group chat and video chat.
- CuteU Pro
- FancyU: Video Chat and Meetup
- RealU: Go Live, Make Friends
- MoonChat: Enjoy Video Chats
- RealU Lite—video to live!
- Wink: Connect Now
- FunChat: Meet People Around You
- FancyU Pro: Instant Meetup through Video Chat!
- Garena Free Fire: Illuminate
Note: The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is expected to reveal the complete list soon.
On the other hand, popular e-sports player PUBG Mobile (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile) was also banned in India during the first wave of banned apps, alongside TikTok and AliExpress. PUBG Mobile was developed by Krafton but later relaunched as BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) with the assurance of storing data locally and adhering to India’s government laws for data security.
In India, the majority of apps were banned on June 29 over concerns about collecting user data and potentially sending data outside India. Later in September, the GOI further blocked 118 Chinese smartphone apps, stating that they are “prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, the defence of India, the security of the state, and public order.”
China opposed India’s decision on the ban on Chinese apps and said the “action violates the World Trade Organisation’s non-discriminatory principles.”
Chinese smartphone apps are abused by many nations, including India and the US. Both have potential jurisdiction and authority over the data collected by these apps. Operating in China requires the handover of the data to the authorities.