Google Vs India Government!
Recently, In two cases involving Google’s abuse of its dominant position in the Android operating system market and its pressure on developers to utilize its in-app payment system, India’s antitrust agency penalized the company $275 million in October.
An antitrust monitor determined last year that Alphabet Inc.’s Google had abused its market position by engaging in anti-competitive practices; as a result, the Indian government wants to take action, a top IT minister told Reuters.
According to Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the federal deputy minister for information technology, such discoveries are “serious” and create “deep concern” for the Indian federal government, which would take its own measures against Google. This was said to Reuters in an interview at the IT ministry in New Delhi.
The ministry must act, according to Chandrasekhar. “We have given it some thought. In the upcoming weeks, you’ll witness it. We won’t ignore it or try to sweep it under the rug, for sure.”
The minister opted not to elaborate on the potential policy or regulatory measures the government may implement.
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One of the most senior members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration, Chandrasekhar, stated that the problem “is worrying, not just for us, it’s worrying for the entire digital ecosystem in India.”
An inquiry about Google’s thoughts on the minister’s statements was not answered. When asked whether he had discussed the matter with Google, Chandrasekhar responded, “There is no need for any conversation. There is a court’s determination.”
While the case of the payments is currently on appeal, an Indian panel declared in March that the Competition Commission of India’s conclusions about Google’s anti-competitive behavior in the Android market was accurate in response to a legal challenge.
The minister’s remarks are made against the background of escalating hostilities between Google and Indian businesses.
After Match Group, the company that owns Tinder, and other startups claimed that Google’s new service charge structure for in-app purchases violates the competition commission’s October judgment, India’s competition watchdog opened a fresh investigation against the company.
In the past, Google has claimed that the service charge funds investments in the Android mobile operating system and the Google Play app store, allowing for their free distribution.
Even though it cautioned that “no other jurisdiction has ever requested for such far-reaching changes,” Google was still obliged to make significant adjustments to how it advertises its mobile operating system in India as a result of the Android antitrust decision.
The 620 million cell phones in India, where Android is used by almost 97% of them, are a crucial growth area for the firm.
Other businesses, like Apple and Amazon, are also being sued in India for alleged anti-competitive behavior. According to Chandrasekhar, the government is eager to take action to defend India’s digital economy.
“We don’t want it to be growth in a way that distorts consumer choice or free competition,” he said.
“We will undoubtedly investigate what the government needs to do to stop anyone, including but not limited to Google, from abusing their market power or market dominance,” said the official.
