By Sagar V. Mankar 
The Indian government is reportedly considering a ban on Krafton’s popular battle royale game and Indian version of PUBG Mobile, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI).
The game was banned twice before and just made a comeback back in May 2023 after 13 months of ban.
The latest ban comes amidst growing concerns about the potential threat to national security and the possibility of cyber-attacks stemming from the data collected by the game.
Is User Data Being Mishandled?
- According to reports by News18, Indian authorities are worried that the user data collected by BGMI could be transferred to servers located outside the United States, where the game’s servers are based.
- This raises concerns about the potential misuse of this data for targeted cyber-attacks on Indian users, compromising the country’s security.
What Does the Intelligence Report Say?
- An intelligence agency report has highlighted several issues with the BGMI app, with the most significant concern being its alleged communication with servers located in China, either directly or indirectly.
- The report suggests that this communication could pose cyber threats by enabling the collection of user data for profiling and potentially carrying out targeted cyber-attacks on Indian users.
Is There a Link Between BGMI and Recent Security Breaches?
- While the specific reasons behind the potential ban have not been explicitly stated, some reports have cited factors like the recent entry of Pakistani national Seema Haider into India and other criminal activities as potential contributing factors.
- Seema Haider is a Pakistani woman who entered India “illegally” in May 2023 to live with her lover, Sachin Meena, whom she met through BGMI.
What’s Next for BGMI and Other “Rebranded” Apps?
According to sources, other apps that have undergone rebranding are also under scrutiny for their alleged communication with servers in China.
An important meeting is scheduled for next week, where Krafton, the company behind BGMI, will present its case, and central agencies will review their stance before making a decision about the game’s future in India.
BGMI has a massive fan following in India with over 100 million daily active users.