Free Fire was banned in India in February 2022 due to national security concerns, primarily related to data privacy and the potential for user data to be transmitted to servers in a "hostile country," as stated by the Indian government under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. Despite being developed by Singapore-based SEA Limited (Garena), the ban was linked to Tencent’s 18.7% stake in the company and concerns over foreign influence. The government cited that the app collected sensitive user data, including access to camera, microphone, and precise GPS location, which could be misused for espionage or surveillance. Although Free Fire Max remained available on Google Play for a time, it was later removed, indicating the government’s broader scrutiny. The ban was lifted in September 2023, with Garena relaunching Free Fire India using local Indian servers operated by Yotta Infrastructure (Hiranandani Group), ensuring data stays within India. The relaunched version features Indian-exclusive content and is endorsed by cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni.