NEW DELHI: The stand-off between India and China on the Doklam issue may not have blown into an armed conflict, but a Sino-Indian war is on. India is fighting this war against China on an unusual battleground — the five-inch screen of your smartphone.Most of the Indians using Chinese smartphones are not aware how their phones have turned into a battleground for two countries.After reports, including a research by University of Toronto, that Chinese smartphone companies are sending user data of Indians to China, the Indian government has started cracking down on these companies. China can exploit Indian user data transmitted by Chinese smartphone companies for commercial as well as strategic purposes.The government has responded to these security risks with a flurry of moves in the past few days.The Ministry of Electronics and IT has directed 21 smartphone makers, most of which are Chinese, to inform it about the procedures and processes they follow to ensure the security of mobile phones sold in India, following reports of data leakage and theft. The government will verify the details provided and act against companies that have failed to meet security requirements.The government may also ask Chinese handset makers to set up servers in India as the next step in ensuring the protection of user data, following concerns about security breaches, especially as most Chinese smartphone vendors have servers in their home country.According to reports, Alibaba's UC Browser has come under the government's scanner for alleged leak of mobile data of its Indian users. The government might ban the popular browser if its found guilty. UC Browser is part of Alibaba's mobile business group. Alibaba has made significant investments in the payment bank firm Paytm and its parent company One97. Besides Paytm, Alibaba has invested in e-commerce firm Snapdeal as well. After Google Chrome, UC Browser is considered the second-most popular smartphone browser in India. Last year, it claimed that it had over 100 million monthly active users in India and Indonesia.The government has a bigger concern than transmission of data to China and its commercial misuse. A hostile China's giant telecom footprint in India can be used to launch big cyber attacks.About 54% of the Indian smartphone market has been cornered by Chinese companies including Xiaomi, Lenovo, Oppo and Vivo.The government might also want to break the dominance of Chinese companies on the Indian market as a punitive measure for the Chinese mischief on Doklam. The government's recent decision to impose anti-dumping duty on tempered glass, used for protecting mobile phone screens, can be seen as a part of this strategy.Chinese smartphone companies in India are growing beyond their niche. Viva and Oppo have cornered all the major sponsorships of Indian cricket. PayTM, in which Ali Baba holds the biggest share, owns title sponsorship of all cricket tournaments in India.