The Indian Government seems to be banning Chinese apps left and right over the past few weeks. After originally banning 59 Chinese apps from the country and currently scrutinizing over 200 more Chinese apps, the government has today banned the Mi Browser Pro app in India.
The Mi Browser comes pre installed on Xiaomi smartphones, which pretty much makes the app useless now, and a space hog for no reason on the brand’s phones. According to reports, the company is taking steps to clarify its position to the Indian government. It will obviously be hoping for the ban to be lifted.
Meanwhile, market analyst have been saying that the ban on the browser will adversely affect the performance of Xiaomi’s phones as far as sales are concerned. That sounds silly, and as Xiaomi is reportedly pointing out, users are free to download and use any web browser on their smartphones. Moreover, the company is insisting that the government’s move “will not impact the performance of the devices.”
Of late, anti China sentiments have been rising in India, hitting a high after the Ladakh clashes between the two countries that saw several Indian soldiers martyred. While several Chinese apps do have privacy issues (we have discussed that many times), it remains to be seen if the government keeps the apps banned, or if any relief is on the way for these companies.
