India’s virtual war on Chinese apps is an impactful move, say retired defence personnel

The Government of India on Wednesday banned 118 Chinese apps, including the popular video game Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), as tension with the neighbouring country continued to escalate at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

PUBG has over 50 million players in India.

Although the move has been well received in general, a section of social media users and PUBG players are criticising the step. But the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is standing firm. It has issued a statement that the move is a safety measure. “This decision is a targeted move to ensure safety, security and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace,” said the statement.