Cloudflare VPN App Removed from Indian App Stores

VPN Apps Removed from Indian App Stores

Over six VPN applications, notably including Cloudflare’s popular 1.1.1.1, have been removed from both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in India. This action follows direct instruction from governmental bodies, as reported by TechCrunch.

Government Intervention and Removal Orders

The removal of these apps was initiated by orders from the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs. A document examined by TechCrunch, alongside a disclosure to Lumen – Harvard University’s database of government takedown requests – confirms this intervention.

Apps such as Hide.me and PrivadoVPN are among those impacted by these directives.

Apple’s Communication to Developers

Apple communicated to one affected developer, referencing a “demand” originating from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre. This Centre, operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs, determined that the developer’s content was in violation of Indian legal statutes.

Requests for comment directed to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Apple, Google, and Cloudflare have currently gone unanswered.

Implementation of India’s 2022 VPN Regulations

This enforcement represents the initial substantial application of India’s 2022 regulatory framework for VPN apps. These regulations require VPN providers and cloud service operators to retain extensive customer records for a period of five years.

These records must include details such as names, addresses, IP addresses, and complete transaction histories.

Industry Response and Concerns

The strict nature of these requirements has generated considerable opposition from key players within the industry. Prominent brands including NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, and Proton VPN expressed strong concerns regarding the regulations.

Several of these companies announced intentions to remove their server infrastructure from within India as a result.

Current Service Status

Despite the new regulations, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark continue to offer services to customers located in India. However, these providers have ceased active marketing efforts within the country.

Here's a summary of the key points:

Multiple VPN apps have been removed from Indian app stores.
The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs issued the removal orders.
New regulations require extensive data logging by VPN providers.
Several major VPN providers have expressed concerns and adjusted their operations.