The government of India has banned 118 more Chinese apps (1)

India Bans 118 More Chinese Mobile Apps

The government of India has banned 118 more Chinese apps including PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite over privacy concerns, news agency has reported. The 118 Chinese apps have been banned for allegedly engaging in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.

India bans 118 more Chinese mobile apps including PUBG Mobile over privacy concerns

With the fresh ban, the number of Chinese apps banned in India now stands at 224.
PUBG Mobile

The government of India has banned 118 more Chinese apps including PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite over privacy concerns, news has reported. The 118 Chinese apps have been banned for allegedly engaging in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.

The government had on June 29 banned 59 Chinese-origin apps to ensure the safety and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace. The list included apps like TikTok, Shareit, UC Browser, Helo, Likee, Mi Community, Virus Cleaner, Beauty Plus, WeChat, UC News, Weibo, Xender, Bigo Live, Cam Scanner, Clean Master – Cheetah Mobile, and others.

A month later it had banned 47 more apps for allegedly operating as “clones” of the previously banned apps.

With the fresh ban, the number of Chinese apps banned in India now stands at 224.

The list now also includes apps like Baidu and WeChat but the biggest name on it is undoubtedly PUBG Mobile. The first time the government launched its “digital” strike on China to safeguard India’s privacy and security, many were left wondering how and why PUBG Mobile had missed the ban. It could have been due to the app’s complicated — read, mixed — origin.

PUBG is an online multiplayer battle royale game made by South Korean video game company Bluehole subsidiary PUBG Corporation. But PUBG Mobile is not made by the same subsidiary. When PUBG Mobile was initially launched, the motive behind it was to make PUBG enter China because the game was banned there. The game was released in China only after Shenzhen-based Tencent Games bought a 1.5% stake in Bluehole Studio, and this was how PUBG Mobile came into being. The rest as they say is history.

With the government now banning PUBG Mobile, it is clear that it wants to set a strong precedence that the nation’s privacy cannot be taken for granted.

Both Google and Apple will have to comply with the new ruling and remove these apps, including PUBG Mobile, from the Play Store and App Store respectively. ISPs will also have to selectively block these apps so existing users can’t access them until further notice.

PUBG Mobile is reportedly one of over 250 apps with links to China under the government of India’s scanner over privacy concerns. This means, there’s a possibility that the government may ban PUBG Mobile in the country, if the much popular — to the extent, that it’s often associated with the term “addiction” — battle royale game is found engaging in activities prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.

As expected, the news has sparked fresh debate around the “origin” of PUBG Mobile. More specifically, is PUBG Mobile a Chinese app? Or, does PUBG Mobile have a China connection. The answer to both these questions is complicated. PUBG Mobile is not a Chinese app at heart, but the fact of the matter is, it wouldn’t have existed (at least in its current state) if it were not for China, or more precisely, a Chinese company called Tencent Games.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, better known as PUBG, is an online multiplayer battle royale game made by South Korean video game company Bluehole subsidiary PUBG Corporation. PUBG Mobile isn’t made by the same subsidiary though. The whole point of PUBG Mobile, at one point of time, was so PUBG could enter China because the game was banned there. The game was released in China only after Shenzhen-based Tencent Games bought a 1.5% stake in Bluehole Studio, but as PUBG Mobile. The rest as they say is history.

As we said, it’s all very complicated. Regardless, here are 8 alternative battle royale games to consider just in case.

The list of 118 Chinese apps Ban in India

1. APUS Launcher Pro- Theme, Live Wallpapers, Smart
2. APUS Launcher -Theme, Call Show, Wallpaper, HideApps
3. APUS Security -Antivirus, Phone security, Cleaner
4. APUS Turbo Cleaner 2020- Junk Cleaner, Anti-Virus
5. APUS Flashlight-Free & Bright
6. Cut Cut — Cut Out & Photo Background Editor
7. Baidu
8. Baidu Express Edition
9. FaceU — Inspire your Beauty
10. ShareSave by Xiaomi: Latest gadgets, amazing deals
11. CamCard — Business Card Reader
12. CamCard Business
13. CamCard for Salesforce
14. CamOCR
15. InNote
16. VooV Meeting — Tencent Video Conferencing
17. Super Clean — Master of Cleaner, Phone Booster
18. WeChat reading
19. Government WeChat
20. Small Q brush
21. Tencent Weiyun
22. Pitu
23. WeChat Work
24. Cyber Hunter
25. Cyber Hunter Lite
26. Knives Out-No rules, just fight!
27. Super Mecha Champions
28. LifeAfter
29. Dawn of Isles
30. Ludo World-Ludo Superstar
31. Chess Rush
32. PUBG MOBILE Nordic Map: Livik
33. PUBG MOBILE LITE
34. Rise of Kingdoms: Lost Crusade
35. Art of Conquest: Dark Horizon
36. Dank Tanks
37. Warpath
38. Game of Sultans
39. Gallery Vault — Hide Pictures And Videos
40. Smart AppLock (App Protect)
41. Message Lock (SMS Lock)-Gallery Vault Developer Team
42. Hide App-Hide Application Icon
43. AppLock
44. AppLock Lite
45. Dual Space — Multiple Accounts & App Cloner
46. ZAKZAK Pro — Live chat & video chat online
47. ZAKZAK LIVE: live-streaming & video chat app
48. Music — Mp3 Player
49. Music Player — Audio Player & 10 Bands Equalizer
50. HD Camera Selfie Beauty Camera
51. Cleaner — Phone Booster
52. Web Browser & Fast Explorer
53. Video Player All Format for Android
54. Photo Gallery HD & Editor
55. Photo Gallery & Album
56. Music Player — Bass Booster — Free Download
57. HD Camera — Beauty Cam with Filters & Panorama
58. HD Camera Pro & Selfie Camera
59. Music Player — MP3 Player & 10 Bands Equalizer
60. Gallery HD
61. Web Browser — Fast, Privacy & Light Web Explorer
62. Web Browser — Secure Explorer
63. Music player — Audio Player
64. Video Player — All Format HD Video Player
65. Lamour Love All Over The World
66. Amour- video chat & call all over the world.
67. MV Master — Make Your Status Video & Community
68. MV Master — Best Video Maker & Photo Video Editor
69. APUS Message Center-Intelligent management
70. LivU Meet new people & Video chat with strangers
71. Carrom Friends : Carrom Board & Pool Game-
72. Ludo All Star- Play Online Ludo Game & Board Games
73. Bike Racing : Moto Traffic Rider Bike Racing Games
74. Rangers Of Oblivion : Online Action MMO RPG Game
75. Z Camera — Photo Editor, Beauty Selfie, Collage
76. GO SMS Pro — Messenger, Free Themes, Emoji
77. U-Dictionary: Oxford Dictionary Free Now Translate
78. Ulike — Define your selfie in trendy style
79. Tantan — Date For Real
80. MICO Chat: New Friends Banaen aur Live Chat karen
81. Kitty Live — Live Streaming & Video Live Chat
82. Malay Social Dating App to Date & Meet Singles
83. Alipay
84. AlipayHK
85. Mobile Taobao
86. Youku
87. Road of Kings- Endless Glory
88. Sina News
89. Netease News
90. Penguin FM
91. Murderous Pursuits
92. Tencent Watchlist (Tencent Technology
93. Learn Chinese AI-Super Chinese
94. HUYA LIVE — Game Live Stream
95. Little Q Album
96. Fighting Landlords — Free and happy Fighting Landlords
97. Hi Meitu
98. Mobile Legends: Pocket
99. VPN for TikTok
100. VPN for TikTok
101. Penguin E-sports Live assistant
102. Buy Cars-offer everything you need, special offers and low prices
103. iPick
104. Beauty Camera Plus — Sweet Camera & Face Selfie
105. Parallel Space Lite — Dual App
106. “Chief Almighty: First Thunder BC
107. MARVEL Super War NetEase Games
108. AFK Arena
109. Creative Destruction NetEase Games
110. Crusaders of Light NetEase Games
111. Mafia City Yotta Games
112. Onmyoji NetEase Games
113. Ride Out Heroes NetEase Games
114. Yimeng Jianghu-Chu Liuxiang has been fully upgraded
115. Legend: Rising Empire NetEase Games
116. Arena of Valor: 5v5 Arena Games
117. Soul Hunters
118. Rules of Survival