Citing data privacy concerns, the Centre on Wednesday banned 118 more mobile apps with Chinese links, including popular game PUBG

New Delhi: A day after the Central government banned 118 Chinese apps, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that the internet companies and digital technology companies have a responsibility to abide by rules and regulations issued by the Government of India. Also Read - PUBG Ban Impact: Tencent Loses $14 billion in Market Value, Its Shares Fall Over 2% After India Bans PUBG

“India has one of the most open regimes for FDI in the world, this includes internet companies and digital technology companies. However, they’ve a responsibility to abide by rules and regulations issued by Government of India,” MEA said in a statement. Also Read - 'Violates Legal Interests of Chinese Investors': Beijing 'Resolutely Opposes' India's Crackdown on 118 Mobile Apps

The development comes after the Centre on Wednesday banned 118 more mobile apps with Chinese links, including popular game PUBG, citing data privacy concerns and a threat to national security. This takes the total count of Chinese-linked mobile apps banned by India to 224. Also Read - PUBG Ban: Indian Gaming Industry Not Dependent on One Game, Says ESFI Director

The 118 apps banned on Wednesday include Baidu, Baidu Express Edition, Alipay, Tencent Watchlist, FaceU, WeChat reading, Government WeChat, Tencent Weiyun, APUS Launcher Pro, APUS Security, Cut Cut, ShareSave by Xiaomi, and CamCard, besides PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite.

The move from the Centre to ban these Chinese apps comes amid fresh border tensions with China in Eastern Ladakh.

The Centre said it received complaints from various sources, including several reports about the misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data to servers outside India.

Earlier on June 29, the government had banned 59 Chinese apps, including hugely popular TikTok and UC Browser, saying they were prejudicial to sovereignty, integrity and security of the country.

Then in July, the centre again blocked another 47 Chinese apps that were clones and variants of the ones banned earlier.

On Wednesday, the government said the Electronics and IT Ministry, invoking its powers under section 69A of the Information Technology Act along with relevant rules and in view of the emergent nature of threats, has decided to block the 118 mobile apps.