Google India Fined Rs 1,337 Crore For Unfair Practices: 10 Facts

1. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) imposed a Rs 1,337.76 crore fine on Google for exploiting it dominant position with the Android operating system. The CCI had asked Google to remove restrictions on phone makers, including those which required them to have pre-installed Google apps.

2. Google was also accused of pushing its default search engine on all Android devices.

3. Google challenged the fine in National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), which is an appellate authority over the orders passed by the CCI.

4. Google in its petition contended the investigation carried against it by the CCI was “tainted”, contending that the two informants on whose complaint the fair trade regulator initiated the enquiry were working at the same office that was investigating the tech major.

5. But the tribunal ruling directed Google to pay the fine and also implement the changes listed by the CCI.

6. After the case reached Supreme Court last year, Google had made sweeping changes to Android in India, including allowing device makers to license individual apps for pre-installation and giving users the option to choose their default search engine.

7. Google will not need to allow users to remove pre-installed apps such as Google Maps, Gmail and Youtube.

8. Google has been concerned about India’s Android decision as the directives were seen as more sweeping than those imposed in the European Commission’s landmark 2018 ruling against the operating system.

9. It has said “no other jurisdiction has ever asked for such far-reaching changes”, and repeatedly argued that the growth of its Android ecosystem will stall in India due to the decision.

10. About 97% of 600 million smartphones in India run on Android, while in Europe, the system accounts for 75% of the 550 million smartphones, according to Counterpoint Research estimates.

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