India Bans 119 Apps on Google Play Store, Most from China & Hong Kong: Reports

The Indian government has directed the removal of 119 apps from the Google Play Store, with the majority linked to developers based in China and Hong Kong, Moneycontrol reported. 

As per reports, the order was revealed on February 18 via a disclosure on the Lumen Database. However, as of February 20, only 15 of the 119 apps have been removed, while the rest remained available for download.

Some of the banned apps include ChillChat, developed by Singapore-based Mangostar Team; HoneyCam, operated by Australia-based Shellin PTY Ltd; and Blom, developed by China-based ChangApp. 

The government has invoked Section 69A of the IT Act to issue blocking orders, enabling the restriction of public access to certain online content in the interest of national security, sovereignty, and public order. While no official reasons have been given, past bans have been linked to geopolitical tensions with China and concerns over data security.

India initiated a series of app bans, starting in June 2020, when it blocked 59 apps, including ByteDance’s TikTok, Tencent’s WeChat, and Alibaba Group’s UC Browser. This was followed by the prohibition of 47 related or cloning apps on August 10, 2020. Subsequently, on September 1, 2020, an additional 118 apps were banned, with another 43 apps blocked on November 19, 2020. The crackdown continued into 2022, with India banning 54 more Chinese apps on February 14 of that year.