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PUBG Mobile
Blocked on 2 September 2020 with 117 other Chinese-linked apps under Section 69A of the IT Act. Krafton's Indian version, BGMI, was itself blocked in 2022 and returned in 2023.
- Status
- Banned
- Country
- India
- Category
- Games
- Banned since
- 2020
- Last checked
- 02/11/2026
Yes. PUBG Mobile has been banned in India since 2 September 2020. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology blocked it along with 117 other apps with Chinese links, using Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. The government said the apps were engaged in activities harmful to India’s sovereignty, defence, state security and public order.
Why India blocked PUBG Mobile
The ban came after the June 2020 clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley. India had already blocked 59 apps, including TikTok, in June 2020 and another 47 in July. PUBG Mobile was a South Korean game, but in India it was published by China’s Tencent, and that link put it on the September list, as MediaNama explains.
The attempt to save it
Within a week, PUBG Corporation took back publishing rights in India from Tencent, hoping the ban would be reversed. It was not. On 30 October 2020, all access to PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite for Indian users was switched off.
BGMI: the Indian version, banned and unbanned
Krafton, the South Korean company behind PUBG, then built a separate game for India. Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) launched on 2 July 2021 and quickly passed 100 million downloads. On 28 July 2022, it was blocked under the same Section 69A. After months of talks, the government approved its return on 19 May 2023 on a three-month trial, and BGMI came back later that month.
Can you play PUBG Mobile in India now?
Not the global version. PUBG Mobile itself is still blocked. Indian players use BGMI, which runs on separate servers with India-specific rules. The PUBG case is part of the wider crackdown on Chinese-linked apps listed on the India page. For other games that governments have pulled, see our banned games list.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PUBG Mobile banned in India?
Yes. The Indian government blocked PUBG Mobile on 2 September 2020 under Section 69A of the IT Act, and the global version is still blocked. Indian players use Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) instead.
Why was PUBG banned in India?
It was one of 118 apps with Chinese links that the government said threatened India's sovereignty, defence and security. In India the game was published by China's Tencent, and the ban followed the June 2020 border clash with China.
What is BGMI?
Battlegrounds Mobile India is the India-only version of PUBG Mobile made by Krafton. It launched on 2 July 2021, was blocked on 28 July 2022, and returned after the government approved it on 19 May 2023.
When did PUBG Mobile stop working in India?
The ban was announced on 2 September 2020, and all access for Indian users was shut off on 30 October 2020.