Centre bans 118 more Chinese mobile Apps, including PUBG, amid border tensions with Beijing

Amid growing tensions with China over the situation at the Kline of Actual Control (LAC), the Narendra Modi government has now banned 118 more Chinese mobile applications, which includes highly popular gaming App Pub G.

NEW DELHI: Amid growing tensions with China over the situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Narendra Modi government on Wednesday (September 2, 2020) banned 118 more Chinese mobile applications, which includes the highly popular gaming App PlayerUnknown`s Battlegrounds (PUBG).

PUBG MOBILE Nordic Map: Livik, PUBG MOBILE LITE, WeChat Work and WeChat reading are among the banned mobile apps. The decision to this effect was taken by the Information and Technology Ministry on Wednesday.

The PUBG game now has more than 600 million downloads and 50 million active players globally, not including the Chinese mainland where a rebranded version of the game is called `Game for Peace`. PUBG has millions of users, especially young, in India.

The ban on PUBG came as it announced the arrival of a new gaming era with its 1.0 version, along with global mobile esports tournament PUBG Mobile Global Championship (PMGC) with a grand prize pool of $2 million (about Rs 15 crore).

"The apps have been banned as they are engaged in activities prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order,'' a statement from the Ministry of Electronics and Information and Technology said.

"This move will safeguard the interests of crores of Indian mobile and internet users. This decision is a targeted move to ensure safety, security and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace," the statement added.

The ministry said that it has received many complaints from various sources, including reports about the misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms, for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorised manner to servers located 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," it said.

It is to be noted that in response to the Galwan Valley clashes in June during which at least 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese troops were killed, the Narendra Modi government had banned at least 59 mobile applications, mostly Chinese, citing threat to the national security.

The Centre has once again imposed a ban on 118 more Chinese mobile applications – a move which is being seen as Narendra Modi government’s yet another crackdown on the Chinese companies operating in India.

"In the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India and security of the State. And using the sovereign powers, the Government of India has decided to block the usage of certain Apps, used in both mobile and non-mobile Internet-enabled devices. These apps are listed in the attached appendix," the Ministry said.

The latest move from the Modi government comes at a time when China allegedly made a transgression attempt near the southern bank of Pangong Tso, which was thwarted by the Indian Army.

In June this year, India banned 59 apps with Chinese links, including TikTok, UC Browser, Weibo, Baidu Map and Baidu Translate saying they were prejudicial to sovereignty, integrity and security of the country.

The government had earlier sent a set of questions to the 59 Chinese apps asking them to disclose their operations and how they had been collecting the data of Indian users.

Notably, Google and Apple have removed these 59 apps from their respective app stores and telecom operators have halted data transfers for these apps.

Here's the list of Apps banned by the Modi Government 

APUS Launcher Pro- Theme, Live Wallpapers, Smart
APUS Launcher -Theme, Call Show, Wallpaper, HideApps
APUS Security -Antivirus, Phone security, Cleaner
APUS Turbo Cleaner 2020- Junk Cleaner, Anti-Virus
APUS Flashlight-Free & Bright
Cut Cut – Cut Out & Photo Background Editor
Baidu
Baidu Express Edition
FaceU - Inspire your Beauty
ShareSave by Xiaomi: Latest gadgets, amazing deals
CamCard - Business Card Reader
CamCard Business
CamCard for Salesforce
CamOCR
InNote
VooV Meeting - Tencent Video Conferencing
Super Clean - Master of Cleaner, Phone Booster
WeChat reading
Government WeChat
Small Q brush
Tencent Weiyun
Pitu
WeChat Work
Cyber Hunter
Cyber Hunter Lite
Knives Out-No rules, just fight!
Super Mecha Champions
LifeAfter
Dawn of Isles
Ludo World-Ludo Superstar
Chess Rush
PUBG MOBILE Nordic Map: Livik
PUBG MOBILE LITE
Rise of Kingdoms: Lost Crusade
Art of Conquest: Dark Horizon
Dank Tanks
Warpath
Game of Sultans
Gallery Vault - Hide Pictures And Videos
Smart AppLock (App Protect)
Message Lock (SMS Lock)-Gallery Vault Developer Team
Hide App-Hide Application Icon
AppLock
AppLock Lite
Dual Space - Multiple Accounts & App Cloner
ZAKZAK Pro - Live chat & video chat online
ZAKZAK LIVE: live-streaming & video chat app
Music - Mp3 Player
Music Player - Audio Player & 10 Bands Equalizer
HD Camera Selfie Beauty Camera
Cleaner - Phone Booster
Web Browser & Fast Explorer
Video Player All Format for Android
Photo Gallery HD & Editor
Photo Gallery & Album
Music Player - Bass Booster - Free Download
HD Camera - Beauty Cam with Filters & Panorama
HD Camera Pro & Selfie Camera
Music Player - MP3 Player & 10 Bands Equalizer
Gallery HD
Web Browser - Fast, Privacy & Light Web Explorer
Web Browser - Secure Explorer
Music player - Audio Player
Video Player - All Format HD Video Player
Lamour Love All Over The World
Amour- video chat & call all over the world.
MV Master - Make Your Status Video & Community
MV Master - Best Video Maker & Photo Video Editor
APUS Message Center-Intelligent management
LivU Meet new people & Video chat with strangers
Carrom Friends : Carrom Board & Pool Game-
Ludo All Star- Play Online Ludo Game & Board Games
Bike Racing : Moto Traffic Rider Bike Racing Games
Rangers Of Oblivion : Online Action MMO RPG Game
Z Camera - Photo Editor, Beauty Selfie, Collage
GO SMS Pro - Messenger, Free Themes, Emoji
U-Dictionary: Oxford Dictionary Free Now Translate
Ulike - Define your selfie in trendy style
Tantan - Date For Real
MICO Chat: New Friends Banaen aur Live Chat karen
Kitty Live - Live Streaming & Video Live Chat
Malay Social Dating App to Date & Meet Singles
Alipay
AlipayHK
Mobile Taobao
Youku
Road of Kings- Endless Glory
Sina News
Netease News
Penguin FM
Murderous Pursuits
Tencent Watchlist (Tencent Technology
Learn Chinese AI-Super Chinese
HUYA LIVE – Game Live Stream
Little Q Album
Fighting Landlords - Free and happy Fighting Landlords
Hi Meitu
Mobile Legends: Pocket
VPN for TikTok
VPN for TikTok
Penguin E-sports Live assistant
Buy Cars-offer everything you need, special offers and low prices
iPick
Beauty Camera Plus - Sweet Camera & Face Selfie
Parallel Space Lite - Dual App
"Chief Almighty: First Thunder BC
MARVEL Super War NetEase Games
AFK Arena
Creative Destruction NetEase Games
Crusaders of Light NetEase Games
Mafia City Yotta Games
Onmyoji NetEase Games
Ride Out Heroes NetEase Games
Yimeng Jianghu-Chu Liuxiang has been fully upgraded
Legend: Rising Empire NetEase Games
Arena of Valor: 5v5 Arena Games
Soul Hunters
Rules of Survival