List of apps banned in India
Indian Government has banned many Chinese apps in India in last year, 2020, but this was not the first time when any application was banned by the Indian government. The Ministry of Electronics and Information technology, lead by the central government, has also banned many applications in the past.
In this article, we will see the names of all the applications or apps that the Indian government has banned. But before that, we will first see that why an app is banned in India and which ministry handles all this process and working.
Why is an app banned?
Recently, when the ministry of Electronics and Information technology released a list of applications it has banned in the country, it also released a statement with the list. The statement released by the Ministry of Electronics and Information technology is something like ‘The action was taken action these apps as these apps were prejudicial to integrity and sovereignty of India, security and state of public order and defence of India.’
So, with this statement, we can draw the conclusion that an app can be banned because any of the following reasons:
- The app is not complying with the IT & electronics rules and regulations of India.
- The app doesn’t maintain the sovereignty and integrity of India.
- The cybercrime branch has released multiple complaints against the application.
- The application is breaching the data and personal information of the people.
- The app is creating a threat to the defence and law & order of India.
- The application is intended to provide some personal data of users or confidential data of country to other countries.
- The application is creating issues among the users or hurting the sentiments of many people.
- The app is religiously biased and making some inappropriate religious content or comment or both.
- If the government finds that the app poses a threat to anyone’s life or causing a conflict among a group of people.
- If an app is intentionally trying to possess a threat or trying to break the peaceful environment of India, etc.
So, suppose our government finds one or more of these reasons against any application. In that case, it will ban the application entirely or partially in the country, and the people of the country will no longer have access to such applications.
Who bans an app in India?
In India, the regulation regarding application was majorly looked at by the ministry of information technology and electronics. Still, suppose the ministry of home affairs or defence ministry, or cybercrime group find complaints against any application or find the application inappropriate. In that case, they can also possess the power to ban the application.
So, basically, the following group of people possesses the power to ban the application in our country:
- Ministry of Electronics and Information technology,
- Ministry of Defence
- Ministry of Home affairs
- Ministry of law & order
- Ministry of communications
- And central & state governments as well.
So, these are the ministries and authorities of government that can prohibit the use of any application and ban its access in India. But they just can’t ban any app. They have to first look out for the threat an application possesses and how much it can affect the users and country information.
List of all the apps banned in India
The Ministry of Electronics and Information technology banned 118 Chinese apps in September 2020 that included some apps such as PUBG (Player’s Unknown Battle Ground), PUBG Lite, Clash of Kings, CamScanner, and many other popular apps. With these 118 banned Chinese apps, the total number of apps banned in India till now is 220.
Here, we are providing you the list of all the 220 apps that the Indian government bans so far to use in India:
| AliSuppliers Mobile App | Guys Only Dating: Gay Chat | Mail Master | APUS Browser | Meitu |
| Clean Master – Cheetah Mobile | Beauty Plus | Conquista Online II | DU Browser | BoxStar (Early Access) |
| Viva Video – QU Video Inc | MGTV-HunanTV official TV APP | APUS Security -Antivirus, Phone security, Cleaner | ChinaLove: dating app for Chinese singles | Netease News |
| Photo Gallery & Album | AliExpress – Smarter Shopping, Better Living | SelfieCity | VPN for TikTok | VooV Meeting – Tencent Video Conferencing |
| Kitty Live – Live Streaming & Video Live Chat | Baidu Express Edition | DU Recorder | Clash of Kings | Music Player – Audio Player & 10 Bands Equalizer |
| Parallel Space Lite – Dual App | Cyber Hunter | Video Player – All Format HD Video Player | Alibaba Workbench | QQ Launcher |
| InNote | Fighting Landlords – Free and happy Fighting Landlords | Rules of Survival | ZAKZAK Pro – Live chat & video chat online | Shein |
| APUS Flashlight-Free & Bright | Alipay Cashier | Taobao Live | Hago Play With New Friends | Drive with Lalamove India |
| DateMyAge: Chat, Meet, Date Mature Singles Online | Creative Destruction NetEase Games | Learn Chinese AI-Super Chinese | CamOCR | HD Camera – Beauty Cam with Filters & Panorama |
| FlirtWish: chat with singles | UC News | QQ Security Center | Ride Out Heroes NetEase Games | Soul Hunters |
| APUS Launcher -Theme, Call Show, Wallpaper | Penguin FM | Bike Racing : Moto Traffic Rider Bike Racing Games | CamCard Business | Small Q brush |
| Road of Kings- Endless Glory | Chinese Social – Free Online Dating Video App & Chat | Cashier Wallet | QQ Mail | Isoland 2: Ashes of Time |
| CamCard – Business Card Reader | APUS Turbo Cleaner 2020- Junk Cleaner, Anti-Virus | “Chief Almighty: First Thunder BC | DU battery saver | Mi Video Call – Xiaomi |
| Vmate | Cache Cleaner DU App studio | QQ Player | Likee | HideApps |
| Legend: Rising Empire NetEase Games | Xender | CamCard – BCR (Western) | Government WeChat | WeWorkChina |
| DU Privacy | Sweet Selfie | WeSync | Baidu | |
| ES File Explorer | ZAKZAK LIVE: live-streaming & video chat app | Munchkin Match: magic home building | HD Camera Pro & Selfie Camera | Snack Video |
| Web Browser – Fast, Privacy & Light Web Explorer | MV Master – Make Your Status Video & Community | WeDate-Dating App | Lucky Live-Live Video Streaming App | Lalamove India – Delivery App |
| Cleaner – Phone Booster | Kwai | CamCard – Business Card Reader | Dank Tanks | VPN for TikTok |
| MV Master – Best Video Maker & Photo Video Editor | Little Q Album | Super Clean – Master of Cleaner, Phone Booster | Vault- Hide | Free dating app-Singol, start your date! |
| Baidu Translate | Parallel Space | CM Browser | Buy Cars-offer everything you need, special offers and low prices | Adore App |
| YouCam makeup | PUBG MOBILE LITE | LifeAfter | Pitu | AFK Arena |
| Ludo All Star- Play Online Ludo Game & Board Games | APUS Launcher Pro- Theme, Live Wallpapers, Smart | Date in Asia – Dating & Chat For Asian Singles | Cam Scanner | TikTok |
| First Love Live- super hot live beauties live online | Rela – Lesbian Social Network | Hi Meitu | LivU Meet new people & Video chat with strangers | Web Browser – Secure Explorer |
| PUBG MOBILE Nordic Map: Livik | Bigo Live | Identity V | HUYA LIVE – Game Live Stream | |
| Photo Wonder | Helo | Tubit: Live Streams | Beauty Camera Plus – Sweet Camera & Face Selfie | Mafia City Yotta Games |
| WeTV – TV version | Newsdog | QQ Music | TrulyAsian – Asian Dating App | Mobile Legends: Pocket |
| Sina News | WeTV Lite | Vigo Video | U Video | DU Cleaner |
| Jellipop Match-Decorate your dream island? | Gallery Vault – Hide Pictures And Videos | Knives Out-No rules, just fight! | Baidu map | Club Factory |
| Tencent Watchlist (Tencent Technology) | U-Dictionary: Oxford Dictionary Free Now Translate | Gallery HD | APUS Message Center-Intelligent management | Dual Space – Multiple Accounts & App Cloner |
| ShareSave by Xiaomi: Latest gadgets, amazing deals | Music Player – MP3 Player & 10 Bands Equalizer | Message Lock (SMS Lock)-Gallery Vault Developer Team | Web Browser & Fast Explorer | Arena of Valor: 5v5 Arena Games |
| MICO Chat: New Friends Banaen aur Live Chat karen | Amour- video chat & call all over the world | WeTV – Cdrama, Kdrama & More | QQ Newsfeed | ROMWE |
| New Video Status | We Meet | QQ International | MangoTV | Virus Cleaner |
| V fly Status Video | iPick | Malay Social Dating App to Date & Meet Singles | Mobile Taobao | Yimeng Jianghu-Chu Liuxiang has been fully upgraded |
| Happy Fish | Alipay | AppLock | Warpath | Shareit |
| DingTalk | Wonder Camera | Mobile Legends | Youku | Tencent Weiyun |
| GO SMS Pro – Messenger, Free Themes, Emoji | Onmyoji NetEase Games | Soul- Follow the soul to find you | Tantan – Date For Real | Music Player – Bass Booster – Free Download |
| Ludo World-Ludo Superstar | AsianDate: find Asian singles | Z Camera – Photo Editor, Beauty Selfie, Collage | HD Camera Selfie BeautyCamera | Smart AppLock (App Protect) |
| Carrom Friends : Carrom Board & Pool Game | Video Player All Format for Android | TrulyChinese – Chinese Dating App | Cut Cut – Cut Out & Photo Background Editor | Rise of Kingdoms: Lost Crusade |
| AlipayHK | UC Browser | Heroes Evolved | WeChat Work | Chess Rush |
| MARVEL Super War NetEase Games | Music player – Audio Player | Rangers Of Oblivion : Online Action MMO RPG Game | FaceU – Inspire your Beauty | Art of Conquest: Dark Horizon |
| Photo Gallery HD & Editor | CamCard for Salesforce | Cyber Hunter Lite | WeChat reading | Ulike – Define your selfie in trendy style |
| Crusaders of Light NetEase Games | Penguin E-sports Live assistant | Hide App-Hide Application Icon | Lamour Love All Over The World | Murderous Pursuits |
| Super Mecha Champions | Music – Mp3 Player | Dawn of Isles | AppLock Lite | Game of Sultans |
Note: If the Indian government has banned any application in India and the owners of the application are not happy with the decision of the Indian government, then they can raise their objections in front of the Indian government by talking to the ministry of Electronics and Information technology. The ban can be lifted from an application if it rectifies all the possibilities that lead it to ban and comply with the country’s IT rules.
It has been very rare that when any banned application is restored after it is prohibited in the first place, but it is not impossible at all. Popular applications such as PUBG mobile have been restored in India recently with a New Name, i.e., BGMI (Battle Ground Mobile India). It was ready to comply with all the norms and IT rules& regulations set by the Ministry of Electronics and Information technology, and that’s why the Indian government gave its permission to relaunch the game in India.