Ban on PUBG Mobile could be a major blow to Tencent
Earlier this year, the Indian government banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, ShareIt, UC Browser, WeChat, CamScanner, and more. India recently banned 47 more apps, which mostly include “lightweight” versions or clones of previously banned apps.
PUBG Mobile, AliExpress and three hundred more Chinese apps at risk
Now it is reported that the government has prepared a list of 275 Chinese apps that are being studied for potential security and privacy issues. The list includes such mastodons as the most popular shooter PUBG Mobile and AliExpress.
Besides TikTok, there are several other apps from ByteDance on the list, including music streaming services Russo and ULike. In addition, 14 Xiaomi and Mi apps are also checked for said violations.
The ban on PUBG Mobile could be a major blow to Tencent. With over 175 million installs, India is the largest market for the game, accounting for around 24% of total downloads.
The Indian government is reported to be developing a process for such bans, including a law or regulation that would require constant monitoring of applications.
Earlier, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in India, Ji Rong, commenting on the ban on 59 applications, said that this is “a violation of the rules of the World Trade Organization.”
