Why India’s virtual war on Chinese software is significant
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT of India on Wednesday banned 118 Chinese apps, like the popular gaming Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), as tension with the neighbouring country continued to escalate at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
PUBG has over 50 million players in India.
Although the move has been well received generally, a portion of social media users and PUBG players are criticising the step. However the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is standing firm. It has issued a statement that the move is a safety measure. “This decision is a targeted proceed to ensure safety, security and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace,” said the statement.
Sneaky cyber path to information
PUBG clocks about 13 million daily users, which, according to defence and warfare experts, can bring about a disastrous personal security breach in today's situation. Commodore Shyam Kaushal (Retd.) of the Indian Navy explains the way the ban may help prevent transfer of information to the Chinese government. “These software give information about every individual - where they are travelling, and other minute data - which China can easily use against India,” he says, adding that users are inclined to exploitation through these apps. “The Chinese curently have high-end technology and 5G speed, which will make it much easier for them to track precise spots and other details,” the Commodore explained. “So by banning these apps, we've saved our persons from exploitation by the Chinese by accessing their information.”
In a similar move around in July, the Indian government had banned 59 applications including the widely used TikTok.
Referring to the software ban, Lieutenant General Harbhajan Singh PVSM, and former Signal officer-in-chief of the Indian Army says “That is symbolism which is vital. These apps are very dangerous as the Chinese can put any bug in the program. When you play games on your own phone or on various sites, you send an incredible number of messages to those sites and China can track where in fact the messages are coming from, and that can harm an individual and the country all together.”
A blow to the economy
For a long time, China has supported Pakistan in its terrorism activities, supplying it with intelligence reports, arms and ammunition and satellite facilities. It has additionally been encroaching into Indian territory. Banning Chinese programs will put pressure on that country, as its trade will be hugely impacted. “Trade is a major strength of China’s economy, and India’s ban of the apps is a significant proceed to hit their economy,” says General Singh.
Talking about the present situation at the LAC, Commodore Kaushal explains that in that hostile situation, a country has four possible avenues of action - political, diplomatic, monetary and military. “Political and diplomatic ways have already been going on, and today we are employing the monetary avenue in responding to China. Banning the application is an economic move and can hit their earnings system. This won't ease the problem at the border, but will impact the people of China,” he said. The Chinese will eventually lose advertising from Indian markets, and the vacuum that Indians will feel will inspire them to build up their own apps, that will generate good domestic earnings and finally hit the Chinese market," he elaborates.
Furthermore, banning the apps may be the most obvious indication of India’s slow decoupling from China, since it has both an emotional and an economical impact. “India is a net importer from China, mostly of finished and semi-finished goods. Our exports are low-value items. The Chinese have seen an opportunity to invest and have earned FDI around Rs 2 lakh crore. Millions of Indians are influenced by these software and it affects their everyday working and leisure time, and the ban is therefore a conspicuous and noticeable statement of political intent,” notes Rear Admiral Vineet Bakhshi (Retd). The officer adds that the federal government needs to continue its responses to China. “The question is, will India take it further, to the point where it starts impacting importers and industrialists who profit handsomely, at the price tag on the Indian industry?” he wonders.
Betrayal of trust
The Galwan Valley incident in June brought home the actual fact that the Chinese can't be trusted, whatever their Ambassador, statesmen or spokespersons in Beijing may say. China is likely to act in a manner which suits it in confirmed moment, regardless of any treaties, understandings or the International Law. “Chinese are not friends therefore it’s time to tell them that India can respond in other than military ways. China will do whatever needs doing to expand. We have to stand against it,” asserts Lt.Gen. Singh.
In some ways, India is witnessing a repeat of history from the 1950s and 60s, when the united states didn't anticipate the Chinese perfidy in overtaking Tibet and attacking India. “THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT needs to constitute its mind that China is Enemy Number One. Thereafter, the requisite policies and actions will follow,” sums up Rear Adm. Bakhshi.
