Government considering a ban on PUBG in India? Here's what we know so far

Following the ban of 47 more Chinese apps, it has been reported that the government may soon ban PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) in India. After India banned 59 apps with Chinese links for engaging in activities that are "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity" of the country last month, sources on Monday said that the government has banned 47 more apps.

PUBG is one of the most popular smartphone mobile games in India and many other countries. In India alone, the app boasts of over 175 million downloads. The app has also been subject to heavy criticism several times in the past but for a different reason

According to sources, a ban on 275 apps has started to surface online a month after the Indian government banned 59 Chinese apps, including popular ones like TikTok, UC Browser, citing data security concerns.

READ: India bans 47 more apps; most are clones of 59 earlier-banned Chinese-origin apps

An official notification regarding the ban and the list of applications will be released soon, sources added. Some of the apps banned by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology include TikTok Lite, Helo Lite, SHAREit Lite, BIGO LIVE Lite and VFY Lite.

READ: IT Ministry warns 59 Chinese Apps to comply with ban or face consequences; read details

China reacts to India's 'Digital Strike'

Reacting to India's ban of the Chinese apps at a Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing, spokesman Zhao Lijian said, China is strongly concerned about the relevant notice issued by the Indian side. We are checking and verifying the situation. "I want to stress that the Chinese government always asks the Chinese businesses to abide by international rules, local laws and regulations in their business cooperation with foreign countries," he said.

Following India's move, other countries like Australia and the US are also planning to ban Chinese apps because of the security threat they possess. 

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said that India's surprise move to ban 59 Chinese apps was a "digital strike." "We banned Chinese apps to protect data of countrymen; it was a digital strike," Prasad said at a BJP rally in West Bengal, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

READ: 59 Chinese apps-ban 'a digital strike': IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad eyes opportunity

READ: Google issues first response on India's 59 Chinese-origin app-ban; 'developers notified'