India has banned more than 100 additional apps linked to China, including the popular mobile game PUBG, citing concerns about cybersecurity as geopolitical tension continues to build between the two neighboring countries.
India’s IT ministry ordered a ban on 118 apps that it said were “harmful to India’s sovereignty and integrity, India’s defense, state security, and public order.” The restrictions will help “protect the interests of crores (tens of millions) of Indian mobile and internet users. This decision is a targeted step to ensure the safety, security, and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace,” says the ministry.
This move came after months when New Delhi banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, which counted India as the largest international market, UC Browser, and UC News. Among all apps, some of the new apps that were banned today are Baidu, WeChat Work, Tencent Weiyun, Rise of Kingdoms, APUS Launcher, Tencent Weiyun, VPN for TikTok, Mobile Taobao, Youko, Sina News, CamCard, as well as a thumbnail version of PUBG.
According to one mobile insight company, PUBG had more than 40 million monthly active users in India. That clearly says PUBG is by far the most popular app among the newly banned apps.
Tensions between the most populous Asian neighbors intensified when more than 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in a military clash in June. Since then, “Boycott China” – and variants thereof – has become popular on Twitter in India, as an increasing number of people posted videos showing the destruction of smartphones, TVs, and other products made in China.
In April, India also brought about a change to its foreign investment policy requiring Chinese investors – who have plowed billions of dollars into Indian startups in recent years to get New Delhi’s approval. The move has remarkably lowered the presence of Chinese investors in the deal flows of Indian startups in the months since.
Twitteratis were quick to react to this ban by the government:
https://twitter.com/DoDhariTalwar/status/1301178614243680257
People went on as far as to get on board with Congress.
#Dislike#pubgban #congratulations @RahulGandhi winning 2024 election pic.twitter.com/kfVOFgzD1P
— Ujjwal Kant (@_Ujjwalkant) September 2, 2020
PubJio on its way, maybe?
Dhruv Rathee Expose Modi Ji -:#pubgban pic.twitter.com/3lpGXnvSHt
— Aa͏yush (@ModifiedAayush) September 2, 2020
TikTok and now PUBG, what will the youth do?
https://twitter.com/itzzz_roma_/status/1301173569913720834
Indian parents what they have wished for:
no one:
Indian parents after #pubgban pic.twitter.com/8pTgnmBPBm
— Ankit__69 (@nixed_memer) September 2, 2020
Parents like 👇#PUBGBan pic.twitter.com/Kw7xmgFRgj
— A D V I K A (@_advika_) September 2, 2020
Pubg player right now😅 😥#pubgban pic.twitter.com/EJOBNu1PjW
— Sahil (@Sahil91871051) September 2, 2020
This lady is surely the happiest person right now:
Where it all started 😂🤦🏻♂️ #PUBG #pubgban pic.twitter.com/ZYSFfviWZf
— Mik (@bhoumikkkk) September 2, 2020
What are your thoughts on the government’s decision of banning PUBG and other Chinese apps?
