PUBG is an extremely popular game all over the world attracting millions of players in the mobile version of the game. However, the app was banned in India last year after the Indian government raised concerns about data sharing. And now, Battlegrounds Mobile India, an India-specific version of PUBG, has also been banned.
The company that developed PUBG is Krafton, a South Korean company that is backed by Chinese game developer Tencent. Due to political tensions between the Indian and Chinese governments, India removed the apps due to alleged concerns that the data the app collects could be used against the country.
The Reuters report included comments from an Indian government official who said the government has been removing various Chinese apps since 2020 due to “national security concerns.” It does so through an IT law that allows the country to ban any apps it fears may pose a risk to its citizens and the country.
The move by the Indian government follows a roughly two-year border dispute between India and China in northern India. Following complaints of unauthorized construction, Indian and Chinese soldiers clashed on 5 May 2020, resulting in the death of servicemen from both sides. The removal of PUBG and other apps served as economic sanctions in the summer of 2020.
While there continue to be political differences between the two countries, it’s likely that Indian players won’t see Battlegrounds Mobile India for a while, if ever again.
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