Google India will pay Rs20.24 crore to settle the Competition Commission of India's (CCI) investigation into the alleged abuse of its dominant position by imposing restrictive agreements on original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of Android televisions.
In its order, the CCI stated that it had accepted Google's proposed settlement under Section 48A(3) of the Competition Act of 2002 and the CCI Settlement Regulations of 2024.
"Google is committed to complying with applicable local laws in all countries where we operate, and we thank the CCI for the opportunity to engage and present our case. We also thank the CCI for establishing processes that enable constructive engagements between businesses and the market, allowing for continued investment and growth," a company spokesperson said in a statement.
The case began in 2020, when complaints were filed against Google LLC, Google India, Xiaomi Technology India, and TCL India for allegedly colluding against OEMs by imposing restrictive conditions—such as the mandatory bundling of the Play Store with the Android TV operating system—and preventing the use or creation of rival forked Android versions via anti-fragmentation agreements.
Following the complaints, the CCI initiated an investigation into Google's practices in the Android TV market. The investigation concluded that the Android Smart TV operating system has a dominant position in the relevant market of 'licensable Smart TV device operating systems in India', and that the Google Play Store dominates the'market for app stores for Android Smart TV operating systems in India'.
The CCI also determined that Google's agreements, specifically the Television App Distribution Agreement (TADA) and the Android Compatibility Commitments (ACC), when executed together, imposed unfair conditions by mandating the pre-installation of its full app bundle, Google TV Services, prohibiting OEMs from using or developing Android forks, and impeding innovation.
