The Indian government has fined Google 13bn rupees ($162m; £144m) for using its Android platform to rule the market.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has blamed the company for going into “one-sided agreements” with smartphone companies to guarantee the dominance of its applications.
The authorities ordered the tech giant to “cease and desist” from such practices.
The Company’s Response
The company has not responded to the allegations or the fine imposed on them at the moment.
The CCI, in a Thursday statement, accused Google of “breaching” the licensing terms for its Android operating system across various smart devices, web searches, internet browsing, and video hosting services.
It said that Google was going into forced agreements with players in the space to make sure that its bunch of applications, like, Google Chrome, YouTube, Google Maps, and others – were used.
The statement added that this practice was smothering rivalry and gave Google nonstop access to consumer information and lucrative advertising opportunities.
CCI Requests Google
The CCI has additionally requested Google to not compel smartphone makers to pre-introduce its applications. Additionally, that it should permit makers and clients to introduce applications of their decision during the initial device setup.
“Markets should be allowed to compete on merits and the onus is on the dominant players (in the present case, Google) that its conduct does not impinge this competition on merits”
Google Confronting Series of Anti-Trust Cases
Google is confronting a series of anti-trust cases in India and specialists are likewise probing Google’s lead in the savvy television market and its in-app payment system.
The Android-related inquiry began in 2019, following objections by buyers of Android phones.
The case is like the one Google faced in Europe, where the regulator imposed a fine, relatively a higher amount, of $5bn on the organization for using its Android OS to gain unfair benefits in the market.
