On November 24, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology banned 43 more apps for "engaging in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order".
From dating apps to e-commerce, here is a quick look at the companies behind these apps.
E-commerce:
Alibaba- Four apps by e-tailer Alibaba, namely AliSuppliers Mobile App, Alibaba Workbench, AliExpress - Smarter Shopping, Better Living and Alipay Cashier have been banned by the government. These fall under the guise of the Alibaba Group which is a large player in the e-commerce business. It helps those who both wish to sell as well as buy products. Apart from its e-commerce apps, DingTalk, another app that is based around communication and chatting services has also been banned.
According to the Alibaba Group's official website, the Alibaba digital economy generated RMB7,053 billion (US$1 trillion) in gross merchandise value (GMV) in the 12 months ended March 31, 2020. This mainly included GMV of RMB6,589 billion (US$945 billion) transacted through China retail marketplaces, as well as GMV transacted through international retail marketplaces and local consumer services.
Lalamove: Two apps associated with LalaMove, namely Lalamove Delivery in India as well as Drive with Lalamove India have been banned. This is run by the Hong Kong-based firm Lalamove. Currently, the firm operates on a global scale offering logistical services. It is located in 24 markets across Asia, Latin America and the United States connecting over 7 million registered users with a pool of over 700,000 driver partners, according to its official website.
Tech
Camcard- Camcard is a software developed in China where users can scan and store business cards digitally. Two versions of this app have been banned recently. According to its listing on the Google Play Store, users can Search contacts’ company news to start a good conversation, navigate to contact addresses in Map and access contact information across multiple devices.
MGTV: Hunan TV official TV App- According to a listing of the app on Google Play Store, the MGTV Hunan TV official TV app allows users to access China content on demand, similar to a service like Netflix where they can access content at ease.
Tencent/WeTV- Four apps associated with TV were banned. This is because it comes under the purview of Tencent, a large Chinese tech multinational company. Several other apps made by Tencent have been banned, most notably Battle Royal game PUBG.
Lucky Live: Livestreaming App- This was developed by a firm based in Hong Kong. According to a listing of the app on Google Play Store, the app allows users to have a virtual house party via a live stream. However, little is known about the firm that made it.
Dating Apps
Innovative Dating Apps, which is behind the Chinese Social dating app, also has a wide range of other such apps that are curated to specific communities like Filipino, Columbia, and Japanese social dating apps. It is based in Hong Kong. Two apps created by this developer have been banned.
Rometic- It is a Hong Kong-based app developer that is behind the creation of an entire portfolio of dating apps. Of which, TrulyChinese and TrulyAsian have been banned by the Indian government.
SOL Networks Ltd- SOL Networks is also another Hong Kong-based app developer that specialises in making dating apps. Two apps made by this firm have been banned by the Indian government.
Shanghai CardInfoLink Data Service Co. Ltd - This company is behind the creation of Cashier Wallet according to a Google Play listing. Cashier Wallet is a service that allows users to scan barcodes and make transactions. The details of this firm are still unknown.
Games
NetEase Inc- NetEase is a Chinese Internet Technology company headquartered in Hangzhou, China. It has games like Identity V.
Lilith Games- Lilith Games, which is headquartered in Shanghai, China, is a game publisher that has created a series of games across different genres. In the recent ban, its title Isoland 2: Ashes of Time, has been banned.
NetDragon Websoft Inc- NetDragon Websoft Inc is a company that creates games online in addition to making mobile applications. In the recent ban, its title Heroes Evolved has been made inaccessible to Indian gamers.
HappyElements- HappyElements is a Beijing-based firm with offices and research institutions located in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tokyo, Kyoto and San Francisco according to its official website. Its title, Happy Fish, has been banned.
Microfun Limited- Microfun Limited is the firm behind the titles Jellipop Match and Munchkin Match which are two puzzle-based games that were recently banned, based on the Google Play Store listing. However, little is known about this developer.
