Four sources told Reuters that Singapore has shown concerns and affairs with India over its ban on the popular gaming app “Free Fire,” which is owned by technology firm Sea.
The ban caused the New York-listed Southeast Asian firm’s market value to plummet by US$16 billion within a day, and investors are distressed that India will extend the ban to Sea’s recently launched e-commerce app, Shopee.
Despite the fact that Sea has its headquarters in the wealthy city state, Singapore has asked Indian authorities why the app was targeted in a widening crackdown on Chinese apps, according to the sources, which include two Indian government officials.
According to one of the Indian officials aware of the diplomatic initiative, Singapore had inquired if the app “had been banned unintentionally.”
According to Reuters, India this month prohibited “Free Fire” as part of a set of 54 apps that it suspects are transmitting user data to Chinese servers.
China expressed severe worry and hoped that India would handle all foreign investors fairly.
“We do not transfer, or store any data of our Indian consumers in China,” Sea said at the time, adding that the company was based in Singapore and followed Indian law.
Following a border conflict with China in 2020, India’s first ban of 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, was expanded this month to a total of 321, including Free Fire.