On June 14, a popular VPN service provider, NordPVN, shut down its servers in India following the country's announcement of its new VPN rule.
The strict guidelines will be enforced by the Indian government on June 27, and it will require the companies to keep the personal information of their customers.
VPN Companies Discontinue Servers in India
India's new internet guidelines are set to force several VPN companies to keep the personal data of their users, like their real names, IP addresses, and online usage patterns for a maximum of five years.
VPN companies should also agree to hand over the information to the Indian authorities when requested if they wish to continue their business in the country.
When the announcement was made, several companies immediately condoned the new guidelines.
ExpressVPN has exited the country in early June, and Surfshark has shut down its server.
NordVPN, which includes Novator and General Catalyst among its backers, told TechCrunch on June 14 that it will not keep any logs of its customers' data and it refuses to comply with New Delhi's new VPN provider requirement.
A spokesperson for the Lithuania-based firm said that the company is committed to protecting the privacy of its users, which is why it chose to cease operations in India instead.
According to The Hans India, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) asked VPN service providers on April 28 to store information of users, and they were given two months to comply with the new guidelines.
Why India Wants Transparency
Although the new guidelines are against the user's right to privacy, the Indian government believes that such a directive will help the country fight cybercrime.
Despite protest from the VPN companies, citing concerns about the breach of privacy of its customers, the Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrashekhar said that companies that won't adhere to the new rules "are free to exit the country."
The Future of Hide.me Users
In an interview with TechRadar, a Hide.me spokesperson said that the company is not planning to launch a virtual server to protect the privacy of its users.
Hide.me's Indian customers will still be able to use their subscription, but they will have to select one of its available servers out of the country.
The VPN provider has more than 2,000 servers in 75 countries. This means they won't be able to safely browse the net with an Indian IP.
What is VPN?
Virtual Private Network (VPN) enables internet users to access websites that can't be accessed via a public network. This is useful for those who do remote work.
The user who signs up for a VPN service is the only one who can access certain resources, which can help maintain their privacy.
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, most major companies have stayed connected with their employees no matter where they are in the world, thanks to VPN services.
It is still unclear how the new guidelines will affect the Indian IT services firms that use VPNs to enable remote working.
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Written by Sophie Webster
