PUBG Ban: Government Bans 118 Chinese Apps and Games Including PUBG Mobile, Apus Launcher, Rules of Survival

With PUBG Mobile ban, the Indian government has banned over 220 Chinese-origin apps in the country.

By Jagmeet Singh | Updated: 3 September 2020 14:30 IST

PUBG Ban: Government Bans 118 Chinese Apps and Games Including PUBG Mobile, Apus Launcher, Rules of Survival

PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite are amongst the Chinese apps and games being banned in India

Highlights

The latest ban is the third in a series of app bans by the government
The government said the apps were stealing user data
TikTok and some other Chinese were banned earlier this year

PUBG Mobile, Apus Launcher, Rules of Survival, and 115 other Chinese apps and games have been banned in India. The new app ban comes just a little over a month after the government imposed a ban on 47 Chinese apps that followed the blocking of TikTok and 58 other apps in the country. The ban has been imposed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under the provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009. The apps banned by the government are claimed to be “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity” of the country.

The IT Ministry released a press statement on Wednesday to announce the latest Chinese apps ban in the country. The statement said that the ban was imposed after receiving “many complaints from various sources including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users' data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India.”

“The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Ministry of Home Affairs has also sent an exhaustive recommendation for blocking these malicious apps. Likewise, there have been similar bipartisan concerns, flagged by various public representatives, both outside and inside the Parliament of India,” the statement added.

The ministry said that it decided to block the usage of the 118 apps and games using the “sovereign powers” of the central government. Although the banned apps and games including Alipay, Arena of Valor, Knives Out, PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite are still available for download through Apple App Store and Google Play, Apple and Google are likely to pull these apps for Indian users shortly. Telecom operators in the country are also expected to restrict access on the banned apps.

List of the 118 Chinese apps and games banned by the 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

Should the government explain why Chinese apps were banned? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.

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