India CCI fines Google 1337 cr rupees for abusing dominant position in Android mobile ecosystem

New Delhi : Google has been fined Rs 1337 crore by the Indian Commission for misusing its strong position. The Competition Commission of India on Thursday fined tech giant Google ₹1337.76 crore for 'abusing its dominant position' in multiple markets in the Android mobile device ecosystem.

The action was taken to abuse its strong market position in the Android mobile device segment. In addition, the CCI has directed the leading Internet company to stop and stop unfair business activities. The commission said in a release on Thursday that Google has also been directed to revise the way it operates within a stipulated time-frame.

The CCI said the mandatory pre-installation of the entire Google Mobile Suite (GMS) under the Mobile Application Distribution Agreement (MADA) violates competition law. The commission said Google does not offer any option to uninstall its mobile suite. It said, "Google has violated section 4(2)(d) of the Act." Section 4 of the Competition Act deals with abuse of dominant position.