VPN Ban In India: Why Is Indian Government Banning VPN And Other Questions Answered

VPN or virtual private network is a popular internet tool, used by thousands of users. However, VPN in India could be banned pretty soon. The Indian government's Home Ministry has recommended the VPN in the country be banned. The prime reason behind the move is to unveil the criminals hiding behind VPN and remaining anonymous online. Here's everything you need to know about the VPN ban in India.

What Is VPN And How Does It Work?

Let's start with the basics. VPN is an internet tool that's used to create a private network. This is most commonly used to connect to less secure internet connections as it masks your IP address and location. It also encrypts the network traffic so that ISPs, malware, third-party trackers, and others can't get your data.

More importantly, VPN helps to secure networks and protect you from hackers. VPN also helps surpass regional restrictions imposed by websites or content unavailable in their country. There are several VPN providers available online, to which you can subscribe for a paid amount or free. Once subscribed, you simply need to follow the steps and get your VPN working on your system.

VPN Ban In India: Why Is This Happening?

Now, VPN in India might get banned. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs has recommended to the Indian government to block VPNs in the country as it helps in masking criminals. The committee labels VPNs as cyber threats, paving the way for the dark web to surpass cyber security setup by websites.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee further said VPNs allow criminals to remain anonymous online. These are the few reasons that the committee insists on blocking VPN in India. Additionally, it recommends that the Ministry of Home Affairs coordinate with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) to coordinate with ISPs to permanently block VPNs.

Further, the simple fact that VPN service can be downloaded easily and for free is another reason why it should be banned, the committee says. The recommendation report submitted by the committee urges the Indian government to strengthen the surveillance mechanisms to put an end to VPN in India and with it, the dark web.

VPN Ban In India: How Will It Affect You?

VPN is an internet service that's widely used in India. In fact, a large number of users shifted to VPN ever since the work-from-norm kicked in in 2020. Moreover, many companies in India use VPN to secure their digital assets and generally avoid cyber attacks and hackers. If VPN is banned in India, all of these companies and users will be largely affected.

Since VPN encrypts your data and hides your IP address, it also helps a lot of people stay safe on the internet. This is especially handy while using a public Wi-Fi network and avoid hacks and data thefts. The misuse of VPN by criminals is a classic example of two sides of the same coin. If VPN is banned, it would have a major impact on those using it regularly and for good use.