Google anti-competition practices

On March 28, 2025, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) delivered its judgment on the high-profile appeal filed by Alphabet Inc and its subsidiaries against the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) final order dated October 25, 2022. The CCI had imposed a penalty of Rs 936 crore on Google for abuse of its dominant position in the Android mobile ecosystem. The abuse particularly related to Google Play Billing System (GPBS) and associated practices concerning the promotion and preferential treatment of Google Pay (GPay). After extensive hearings, the NCLAT substantially modified the penalty, reducing it to Rs 217 crore, while upholding the core findings of abuse under specific provisions and a portion of the behavioral directions issued by the CCI.