Apple has challenged the Indian antitrust investigators, accusing them of relying on claims from its competitors without conducting their own analysis. The company argues that the findings against it by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) should be dismissed. In a submission to the CCI, Apple intensified its dispute, which includes opponents like Match and several Indian startups. The CCI had previously concluded that Apple engaged in “abusive conduct” on the App Store by mandating its payment system. Apple denies these allegations, emphasizing its small market share in India and criticizing the investigation for relying on rival claims rather than independent analysis. The company warns that changes to its App Store could disrupt its business model and create uncertainty in India’s digital economy. Apple presented evidence suggesting that the CCI investigation team copied filings from opponents, including Match, PhonePe, and Paytm, without independent verification. Additionally, Apple claims the CCI replicated a graphic from a European ruling despite differing market conditions in India. Unlike Google, Apple says it was not given the opportunity to provide oral evidence during the probe. The regulator accuses Apple of delaying the case by withholding information and challenging India’s antitrust penalty law, which allows fines based on global turnover. Apple estimates potential exposure at $38 billion and is contesting the law’s applicability to the 2022-2024 period. After initially refusing to provide global financial documents, Apple agreed to cooperate, submitting only its local Indian turnover. This dispute arises as India becomes increasingly important to Apple’s business, with the country projected to produce a significant portion of the world’s iPhones by 2026.
Did India Copy-Paste Antitrust Claims Against Apple?
