In June 2020, at the height of geopolitical tensions between China and India, the Indian government issued a notice asking Google and Apple to remove 59 Chinese apps from their App Stores, citing that the apps were “harmful to the sovereignty and integrity of India, defense of India, state security and public order”. Popular apps and services like TikTok, Shein, ShareIT, UC Browser were banned in the first list, released in June 2020.
Since then, the banned apps list has continued to grow, surpassing more than 250 apps. The latest apps added to the list are the popular VLC Media Player and Battlegrounds Mobile India game, which has been pulled from the official stores although the game still works in India.
That said, let’s take a look at some of the popular banned apps that you may still be using despite the government’s decision to ban them. Please note that for some apps there is no clarity as to whether there is a ban or not.
1. Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI)
PlayersUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile or PUBG Mobile, the popular online multiplayer shooting game was initially banned in the first wave in 2020. Two years later, Krafton, the South Korean developers behind the original game, relaunched the title under a different name: Battlegrounds Mobile India. BGMI has become hugely popular in India, reaching over 100 million users in just one year.
But not all was well and there were problems with the data transfer. Just last month, the government issued an order banning the game from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. To date, there is still no word on whether BGMI will be officially banned as those who downloaded the game will still be able to play. The game can also be downloaded from app stores or third-party websites on Android devices and via APK files. Until the game’s servers in India are shut down, the ban is only partially there.
2. VLC Media Player
VLC is one of the most popular media players of all time. But a few months ago, Indian government decided to block VLC Media player website. Unfortunately, neither the government nor the VLC developers have shed any light on why the app was banned. The official VLC Media Player account tweeted that they also needed help. The tweet reads “If you are in India help us” and links to an article on the ban. The Internet Freedom Foundation has also filed an RTI about the ban and, according to them, the government has not provided any information about it.
Some reports suggested that VLC Media Player was used by the China-backed hacking group Cicada to deploy malicious code on target machines. While users cannot download the desktop version of the app, the mobile version can still be downloaded from the Google Play Store. That said, VLC Media Player will continue to work if you already have it installed and can be downloaded from unofficial sources.
3. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Popularly known as ML, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is a 5v5 mobile MOBA that allows players to compete against others. The game was banned in the first wave of 2020 but is still popular in the Indian mobile gaming community. It is also part of the Southeast Asian Games. As with BGMI, the game is still playable in India if you have it installed and can be downloaded from other third-party websites.
4. AliExpress
AliExpress is based in China and is part of the Chinese retail giant Alibaba. While most of the retailers are Chinese, the platform does not sell to customers who live in mainland China. The app was banned in the fourth wave of bans in November 2020.
While you may not be able to download the app from Google Play Store or Apple App Store, if you happen to own an Android device, you can download the APK from websites or app stores. If you don’t want to use the app, the website is also accessible in India.
5. UC Browser
UCBrowser is one of the most popular mobile browsers of all time. The app is lightweight and packed with features such as built-in ad blocker, incognito mode, the ability to play videos in the background, and much more. It was banned in 2020 during the first ban wave. Due to the popularity of UC Browser, many continue to download the app from third-party websites or app stores. If you have it installed on your device, you can continue to use it without any problems.
6. Xender
Like the now banned Share-It, Xender is an app that allows users to share images, videos, documents and other things with friends without using mobile data. It is cross-platform and supports PC, Mac, TizenOS, iOS and Android. Xender was banned in the first wave of bans in June 2020. Many people still use Xender for regular file sharing. Although it is no longer available on the Play Store, you can download the APK from third-party websites and other app stores.
7. WeChat
WeChat is a messaging platform and social media app that allows users to communicate with each other. With over a billion users, it is also one of the most popular messaging apps in the world. It was also banned in the first wave in June 2020. Anyone who has already installed the app on their device seems to be able to send and receive messages without any problems. WeChat can also be downloaded from the web or app stores other than the Google Play Store.
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