Why is Garena Free Fire Banned in India?

Garena Free Fire is famous worldwide, and it’s no different in India. The game has millions of players, with a significant number from India. It offers top-notch gameplay and unmatched features, making it a thrilling gaming experience. In February 2022, India banned Free Fire under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, although the reasons were not clearly stated by the Indian government.If you are unable to access Free Fire, you can try the FF Advance Server APK to enjoy upcoming Free Fire features.

The ban on Garena Free Fire came as a shock to everyone connected with the game. Before the ban, Free Fire had a strong user base in India, with around 40 million active users—about half of its total user base. Many players were also disappointed, as they now face difficulties accessing the game.

Grounds of the Ban

Garena Free Fire was one of 54 apps banned in India by the Indian government. Although the government did not release an official statement about the ban, Section 69A of the IT Act allows for bans on grounds such as national security. One reason the ban on Garena Free Fire is confusing is that Free Fire MAX, an advanced version of Garena Free Fire, was not banned. Many theories have circulated about why Garena Free Fire was banned.

The most common theory is that the banned apps, including Garena Free Fire, had links to China. Some believe Garena Free Fire was sharing Indian user data with Chinese servers. Additionally, Garena Free Fire’s parent company, Sea Limited, is based in Singapore. However, the company’s CEO was born in China, although he moved to Singapore and now holds Singaporean citizenship.

The impact of the ban was significant. The Singapore government even raised the issue with the Indian government. Another theory is linked to a lawsuit: KRAFTON, the company behind Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), sued Garena Free Fire in India, accusing it of plagiarism. KRAFTON also claimed that YouTube was allowing content related to Garena Free Fire that copied BGMI.

Steps by the Developers of Free Fire

Although the ban had a severe impact on Garena Free Fire, the game was determined to relaunch in India. It acquired servers from Hiranandani India to ensure that the data of Indian users does not pass through Chinese servers. Garena has also launched a new version of the game called Free Fire India.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, we can say that the Indian Government banned Garena Free Fire due to its alleged links to China, and the case between Garena Free Fire and BGMI could have also been a contributing factor. Singapore, which hosts the headquarters of Free Fire’s parent company, Sea Limited, raised this matter with the Government of India. Now, Garena Free Fire has acquired servers from an India-based company and launched an India-specific version called Free Fire India.