The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in coordination with the Survey of India (SoI), has instructed Google to remove the Chinese-origin video chat app ‘Ablo’ from the Play Store for displaying incorrect maps of India. According to the government’s notice, the app misrepresents Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, and entirely omits the Lakshadweep Islands, violating India’s territorial integrity.
Citing the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1990, the government emphasized that such distortions are legally punishable with fines, imprisonment up to six months, or both. The notice also invokes Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, 2000, which mandates digital intermediaries like Google to promptly remove content that breaches Indian law.
The official communication stated that the app’s map “jeopardises the sovereignty and integrity of India.” The directive is also backed by the Supreme Court’s 2015 Shreya Singhal v. Union of India ruling, which requires intermediaries to comply with valid government orders.
The issue was flagged in a joint meeting between MeitY and SoI, and the ministry has recommended that SoI consider legal action against such apps.
Although Ablo was still accessible on Google Play at the time of reporting, it had already been removed from Apple’s App Store. The government has asked for a prompt response and resolution.
This is not the first such instance—MeitY and SoI have previously taken action against apps like World Map Quiz and MA 2 – President Simulator for similar map-related violations. In 2021, Twitter also faced backlash and legal trouble for incorrectly displaying India’s map on its platform, though it was later corrected.
