New Delhi | April 21, 2025: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the Survey of India (SoI), has directed Google to remove the Chinese chat application ‘Ablo’ from its Play Store. The app was found to depict India’s territorial boundaries inaccurately, raising concerns over national sovereignty and integrity.
The government’s notice highlighted that ‘Ablo’ misrepresented the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and entirely omitted the Lakshadweep Islands from its map. Such misrepresentations are considered offenses under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1990, which prescribes penalties including imprisonment of up to six months, fines, or both.
Invoking Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, MeitY emphasized the responsibility of intermediaries to “expeditiously remove or disable access” to content violating Indian laws. The ministry also referenced the Supreme Court’s 2015 judgment in Shreya Singhal v. Union of India, underscoring the obligation of digital platforms to act upon valid government directives.
Following the directive, ‘Ablo’ has been removed from the Google Play Store in India, with its landing page now displaying a “not found” message. The app is also no longer available on Apple’s App Store for Indian users.
This action is part of a broader initiative by Indian authorities to ensure accurate representation of the nation’s geography on digital platforms. Previously, apps like ‘World Map Quiz’ and ‘MA 2 – President Simulator’ faced similar scrutiny for incorrect depictions of India’s borders.
Sources: Siasat.com, Moneycontrol.com
