Tech giant Google on Monday resolved a nearly four-year-old case with the Competition Commission of India (CCI) concerning alleged anti-competitive practices in the Android Smart TV market by agreeing to revise its agreements with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and paying ₹20.24 crore as a settlement amount.
The CCI antitrust ruling marks the first settlement of a case under the amended Competition Act, which introduced settlement and commitment provisions in 2023.
As part of the resolution, Google proposed changes to its vendor agreements to address the CCI’s concerns and received a 15 per cent discount on the settlement amount, news agency PTI reported.
Chairperson Ravneet Kaur and members Sweta Kakkad and Deepak Anurag issued the CCI’s 28-page majority order approving the settlement. Member Anil Agarwal, however, issued a dissenting opinion.
Monday’s settlement order also coincided with the visit of US Vice President JD Vance, who began his four-day trip to India. This comes as India looks to strike a deal with the US during the 90-day pause on high tariffs announced by President Donald Trump.
What were the allegations against Google?
Google was accused of abusing its dominant position by imposing restrictive terms on OEMs, such as mandating the bundling of the Play Store with the Android TV operating system and blocking the use or development of rival forked Android versions through its Anti-Fragmentation Agreements.
These actions were alleged to have hindered market access, reduced competition, imposed unrelated conditions on OEMs, and ultimately stifled innovation—violating Section 4 of the Competition Act.
The CCI launched a probe in June 2021 into Google’s Android Smart TV practices after receiving a complaint from two individuals against Google LLC, Google India Pvt Ltd, Xiaomi, and TCL India. It found prima facie evidence of competition law violations and later concluded that both Android Smart TV OS and Google Play Store hold dominant positions in their respective markets.
The CCI said, “It found that Google’s agreements — TADA and ACC — executed together, imposed unfair terms by requiring the pre-installation of its full app bundle Google TV Services, preventing OEMs from developing or using Android forks, and hindering innovation.”
The agreements also tied services like YouTube to the Play Store, reinforcing Google’s market dominance and violating Section 4 of the Competition Act. However, claims under Section 3(4) were not substantiated.
In his dissent, CCI member Anil Agarwal noted that Google’s settlement offers a New India Agreement for OEMs, but added, “The settlement proposal does not eliminate existing arrangements under TADA which have been prima facie found to be contravening the provisions of the Act.”
What does it mean for consumers?
According to the settlement order issued by the Competition Commission, Google will now offer a separate licence for the Play Store and Play Services on Android smart TVs in India under its ‘New India Agreement’. This change eliminates the previous requirement to bundle these services or enforce default placement rules.
This means that consumers who prefer Google’s Android TV OS and Play Store will now need to check with retailers or brands to see which smart TVs include them, as other operating systems and app stores can now be pre-installed by manufacturers.
Furthermore, the regulator noted that, “Additionally, by waiving the need for a valid Android Compatibility Commitments (ACC) for devices shipped into India that do not include Google apps, OEMs can now sell and develop incompatible Android devices without violating the Television App Distribution Agreement (TADA).”
As part of the settlement, Google has also paid ₹20.24 crore.
The CCI has instructed Google to adhere to the settlement terms for a five-year period and to submit yearly compliance reports by April 15, covering the preceding financial year ending March 31.
The Commission also warned that, “If the Settlement Applicant fails to comply with the order passed by the Commission or it comes to the notice of the Commission that the Settlement Applicant has not made full and true disclosure during the settlement proceedings or there has been a material change in the facts, the order passed under section 48 A (3) of the Act shall stand revoked and withdrawn.”
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) had already scrutinised Google, having issued orders in cases related to the Android operating system and Play Store billing practices. The regulator is currently examining two more matters involving Google—one concerning digital news publishers and ad tech, and another regarding alleged overcharging on Play Store billing.
(With PTI inputs)
