Cloudflare’s VPN app is among half a dozen pulled from Indian app stores

More than half a dozen VPN apps, including Cloudflare’s popular 1.1.1.1 app, have been pulled from India’s Apple App Store and Google Play Store after government authorities intervened, TechCrunch has learned.

India’s home ministry ordered the removal of the apps, according to a document reviewed by TechCrunch and a statement made by Google to Lumen, a database that tracks government takedown requests globally from Harvard University.

Affected apps include Hide.me and PrivadoVPN. In a communication with one of the affected developers seen by TechCrunch, Apple cited a “request” from India’s Cyber ​​Crime Coordination Center, part of the Ministry of Home Affairs, which deemed the developer’s content in violation of Indian law.

The ministry, as well as Apple, Google and Cloudflare, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

This enforcement action marks India’s first significant enforcement action for 2022 A regulatory framework governing VPN applications. The regulations mandate that VPN providers and cloud service operators keep comprehensive records of their customers, including names, addresses, IP addresses and transaction histories, for five years.

Strict requirements have led to the withdrawal of major industry players. Leading brands like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, SurfShark and ProtonVPN have expressed strong reservations about the rules and announced several plans. They are taking back their server infrastructure from India.

NordVPN, ExpressVPN and SurfShark continue to provide service to Indian customers, although they have stopped selling their apps in the country.