Apple Accuses India Watchdog of Copying Rivals in App Store Probe

Apple has accused India’s competition regulator of relying on rivals’ allegations rather than conducting an independent investigation, urging authorities to overturn findings that the company abused its position in the country’s mobile app market.

In a submission filed on June 25 and reviewed by Reuters, Apple said investigators at the Competition Commission of India (CCI) had engaged in “copy-pasting” claims made by opponents, including dating app company Match, Walmart-backed payments firm PhonePe and Indian digital payments company Paytm.

The filing represents Apple’s strongest challenge yet against the CCI’s investigation, which has become one of the company’s most significant regulatory battles in India.

CCI investigators concluded in a 2024 report that Apple had engaged in “abusive conduct” on its iOS platform by requiring developers to use its in-app payment system. Apple has denied the allegations, arguing that the findings should be dismissed.

The company told the regulator it was a “minuscule player” in India’s smartphone market, with less than a 6% share, and said the investigation relied heavily on competitors’ arguments rather than an independent assessment of market conditions.

Apple said any “forced alterations to Apple’s carefully designed App Store could disrupt its integrated business model,” and argued against penalties and behavioural remedies that could force it to change its approach.

“The imposition of remedies would ⁠create regulatory uncertainty and could deter investments in India’s digital economy,” the company added.

The CCI and its investigations head did not respond to requests for comment. Apple also declined to comment.

The company’s arguments mirror broader global disputes between large technology firms and competition regulators. In India, similar defenses from other companies have faced resistance. Alphabet’s Google previously argued that changes demanded by the CCI could slow its growth, but later implemented modifications to its Android practices following an antitrust ruling.

CCI officials are scheduled to hold a closed-door hearing with the parties involved on July 21.

In its submission, Apple presented tables comparing statements made by rivals with language used in the CCI investigation report, arguing officials had repeated claims without properly verifying them.

“The DG (Director General) made no effort whatsoever to independently verify or critically assess these statements, often parroting them verbatim,” Apple said.

Match, Paytm and PhonePe did not respond to requests for comment.

Apple also argued that the CCI report reproduced a graphic on global consumer spending on mobile applications and games from a European regulatory decision involving Apple, despite differences between India’s market and European markets.

A Reuters review found that both reports referenced data from Statista, an online research platform.

Apple faces antitrust scrutiny across major markets, including Europe and the United States, as governments examine the influence of large technology companies over digital ecosystems.

The Indian case comes as Apple expands manufacturing in the country. India is expected to account for 26% of global iPhone production in 2026, up from 6% four years earlier, according to Counterpoint Research.

The CCI has accused Apple of delaying proceedings for more than two years by challenging parts of India’s competition penalty framework and by not responding earlier to investigation findings.

Under Indian law, potential penalties can reach up to 10% of a company’s turnover over the previous three years.

Apple said it had provided the regulator with its “relevant turnover of Apple in India” for fiscal years 2022-24, information typically used for penalty calculations.

The company also argued that investigators failed to give it an opportunity to provide oral testimony during the probe.

“While desirable, the CCI’s investigation team is under no legal obligation to give an oral hearing if it feels it has conclusive evidence,” said Gautam Shahi, an Indian antitrust lawyer at Dua Associates.

“CCI’s members will now decide if Apple should have been given that opportunity.”

Apple said regulators should consider mitigating factors if penalties are imposed, including its “unblemished record” and the fact that it has exported iPhones worth $51 billion from India over the past five years.

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