A 2022 policy requiring VPN providers to keep detailed customer records led to the removal of six VPN apps from the Google Play and Apple App Stores in India, including Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 and Hide.me, for violating stringent data restrictions. VPN companies NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and SurfShark have withdrawn their server infrastructure in response to India’s updated law, even though they are still serving Indian customers.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered Apple and Google to take six VPN apps down from their Indian app stores, according to a TechCrunch article. because of failure to adhere to the nation’s stringent data regulations. The removals are a result of the Indian government’s implementation of its cybersecurity law from 2022, which mandates that VPN services retain user data for a period of five years.
This is the first time that these new regulations have been enforced on VPN providers in India.
Google and Apple did as instructed. Apps like PrivadoVPN and Hide.me are also impacted.
A document reviewed by TechCrunch and a Google disclosure to Lumen, Harvard University’s database that monitors government takedown requests worldwide, both supported the move.
“In communication to one of the affected developers, seen by TechCrunch, Apple cited a “demand” from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center, part of the Ministry of Home Affairs, which deemed the developer content to contravene Indian law.”
Regulations to eliminate apps that breach cybersecurity standards are being implemented by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre. Although the enforcement plan seeks to stop internet activity, it also presents privacy and data protection issues. The regulations do not apply to corporate VPNs, but they do target cloud service providers, VPN services, and certain virtual private server organisations.
Many services are concerned about the rule, which requires VPN providers to keep user data, including names, addresses, IP addresses, and transaction history, for five years. Because of this, well-known VPN services like NordVPN, SurfShark, and ExpressVPN have ceased advertising their apps in India, even though they are still available to Indian users.
