India blocks ‘PUBG Mobile’ and ‘Arena of Valor’, among more than 100 other applications of Chinese origin

India blocks ‘PUBG Mobile’ and ‘Arena of Valor’, among more than 100 other applications of Chinese origin.

On June 29, we echoed the news: the Government of India swept 59 Chinese applications from the map, including TikTok and WeChat. This blockade was for the reason that the apps could “be detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India, defense of India, state security and public order”, a blockade that was a serious blow to software of Chinese origin. Now in a second hit India blocks more than 100 apps, including ‘PUBG Mobile’, one of the most popular games in the world.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (IT) has published a new list with a total of 118 applications. Again, “security” reasons are used, also ensuring that they have received “many complaints from various sources, including several complaints about the misuse of some mobile applications” on Android and iOS to “steal and secretly transmit data from the unauthorized users to servers located outside of India“.

India’s second blow to Chinese apps

India has blocked a total of 118 apps, including ‘PUBG Mobile’ and ‘Arena Of Valor’, two of the most popular games on the mobile market. The Ministry ensures that the decision is made for security reasons, given “the nature of the threats.” According to the government, they have “received complaints and several complaints” that some of these applications allegedly send data to servers outside India.

“The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of the Government of India invoking its power under Article 69A of the Information Technology Act read with the relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking access to information by the public) 2009 Standards and in view of the emerging nature of threats, it has decided to block 118 mobile applications (see Appendix) since, in view of the available information, they are engaged in activities that are detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India, the defense of India, the security of the State and public order. “

PUBG Mobile is the most talked about name on this list, a strong blow to Tencent’s delivery. It is also curious that other sister games of PUBG Mobile, such as Call Of Duty: Mobile, have not been blocked. In the case of PUBG Mobile, according to Sensor Tower data, it has been downloaded more than 175 million times (July 2020 data) and has exceeded $ 1 billion in revenue globally.

The popular game adds to the previous ban, in which big names like TikTok, WeChat or Xiaomi Video Call fell. This supposes like this the second major blow to Chinese-sourced software in India.

List of New Apps Blocked by Indian Government

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More information | Government of India statement (PDF)