New Delhi: The Union Government banned 118 Chinese apps including game PUB G on Wednesday. The Government said this Chinese 118 new apps activities banned in India “Prejudicial to Sovereignty and Integrity of India, Defence of India, security and public order”. The Google and Apple deleted all these banned apps from their play stores.

The biggest causality in the fresh round of bans- 106 apps had already been blocked in two separate decisions in the last few months, is PUB G, the world’s most lucrative mobile game with largest subscriber base is in India. Indeed, last year, when a mother had complained to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about her son’s gaming addiction during his ‘Pariksha Pe Charch’ event, the PM had quipped, “Yeh PUB G wala hain kya”.

The total number of Chinese apps banned in India now stands at 224 and there are indications of more bans. The latest decisions, which was widely expected inview of Government’s tough stands against Chinese- controlled entities, squeezes the dominance of China in Indian internet and apps space and deals their global valuations another blow. They include such popular apps as Tik-Tok, UC Browser, Helo, Likee, Share-it, Mi- Community, V- Chat, Bidu, CamScanner and now PUB G.

Saying the move to ban 118 apps would safeguard the interests of Indian users, the Government termed the decision “A targeted move to ensure safety, security and Sovereignty of Indian Cyber Space”. The Ministry of Electronic & Information Technology said that it has received 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 user’s data in an unauthorized manner to servers which have locations outside India.

The compilations of the data, it’s mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the Sovereignty of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures, the Government said in the order which widens the ambit against the Chinese internet establishment.

Apart from gaming, the many of the apps that have been banned are from random categories such as utility; business and communications; camera and photo editing, entertainment and dating, productivity and news, these includes Ali Pay; Ludo world, Rise of Kingdoms; V- Chat work; Bidu express edition; Amour video chat; beauty camera plus; MV master. Also, some VPN for Tik- Tok have also been banned.