Attempts to restrict people's internet freedoms are not going away in 2025, as Apple and Google have removed six VPNs from the App and Google Play stores in India.
This move came at the request of the Indian government, and is the first major enforcement of the country's controversial VPN regulations that were first introduced in 2022.
Amongst the affected VPNs was PrivadoVPN, which features on our best VPN list, as well as being one of the best cheap VPNs.
What are India's data laws?
In 2022, India's Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) introduced laws that required all VPNs with physical servers in the country to record and store information about their users. This information was to be stored for at least five years, even if customer accounts were deleted or subscriptions cancelled.
All the VPNs we recommend offer a no-logs policy, with many having this proven by an independent audit. One of the leading reasons people use VPNs is to protect their privacy online, and reputable, safe, and secure VPNs will not record or log any user information or online browsing data.
The Indian data laws stated VPN companies must store data including the names and personal information of customers, the duration of service usage, assigned IP addresses, and their reasons for using a VPN.
This directly contradicts the promises VPN providers make to their users, and as a result, many leading VPN companies removed their servers from India rather than agree to these demands.
ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, and IPVanish were just some of the many VPNs to remove servers from the country, refusing to participate in the Indian government's attempts to limit internet freedoms and maintaining their commitment to protecting users online.
Despite withdrawal, these providers still offer protection to Indian users, as well as Indian IP addresses. Virtual servers allow Indian users to access the internet without experiencing any differences, and ensure people remain protected online. For users in India, we would recommend one of the best India VPNs.
PrivadoVPN not the first
PrivadoVPN is the latest big player to be removed from app stores, but it isn't the first. Hide.me VPN was one of the first VPNs to be removed from the App and Google Play stores back in November 2024. The companies acted on a removal demand from the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre at the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Commenting on the removal, Hide.me VPN's CEO Sebastian Schaub said: "We find the actions from the Indian government highly concerning and this sort of censorship should not have a place in a democracy. However it does not come as a big surprise after the recent law amendments, which adds an impossible burden on VPN providers to operate legally in the country."
"States are increasingly afraid of a free and uncensored Internet, which is a very concerning development. We stand for an open and uncensored Internet and strongly oppose the oppressive actions from overstepping governments," he added.
Apple and Google's complicity
This isn't the first time Apple and Google have acted on government orders to suppress internet freedoms.
In July 2024, Apple removed VPNs from the App Store on behalf of Russian authorities. Proton VPN, Red Shield VPN, and Le VPN were all reported to be affected, as well as NordVPN. However, at the time, NordVPN said it hadn't received any communication from Apple and had removed its apps from Russian stores in 2023.
Russia has some of the world's strictest VPN and internet laws, and recently disrupted internet connections across several regions in an apparent test of its "sovereign internet" infrastructure. For now, VPNs still work in Russia, and one of the best Russia VPNs is a good place to start.
Restrictions becoming all too common
India and Russia are not alone in looking to restrict the internet freedoms of its citizens, 2024 saw multiple countries taking steps along this path.
The people of Pakistan have experienced a number of suppressive measures at the hands of their government over the last few months. The country saw a VPN shutdown, the blocking of Bluesky and disruption to WhatsApp, and in December 2024, saw VPN permits introduced to combat usage.
Mozambique was another impacted country, with internet access and social media blocked in October and November 2024.
These cases highlight the fragile nature of internet freedoms in countries around the world and reinforce the need for, and availability of, online privacy tools.
Disclaimer
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
