Google: India orders Google to pay another $113m fine

India’s competition regulator has fined Google 9bn rupees ($113m; £98m) for anti-competitive practices, in a second such penalty in less than a week.

The regulator accused Google of “abusing” its dominant role at the app shop to force app builders to use its in-app charge device.

It requested the tech massive to not restrict app developers from the usage of 1/3-party billing or price services.

Google said it became reviewing the allegations.

“By retaining expenses low, our model has powered India’s virtual transformation and increased get right of entry to for hundreds of tens of millions of Indians,” a Google spokesperson told the BBC.

“We continue to be dedicated to our users and builders and are reviewing the choice to assess the following steps,” the spokesperson introduced.

In a 199-page order released on Tuesday, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said that Google became imposing positive regulations on its Play Store that required app developers to “completely” use its payments gadget for dispensing or promoting apps and in-app offerings.

The regulator asked Google to adopt 8 treatments or operations changes within 3 months, inclusive of not restricting “app builders from the usage of any third-party billing/fee processing services, both for in-app purchases or for getting apps”, according to Reuters.

“Google must make certain whole transparency in speaking with app builders and information about provider expenses charged,” the CCI delivered.

The order is the modern setback for Google, which is facing a series of anti-trust allegations in India.

Last week, the organization changed into fined 13bn rupees ($161m; £144m) for the usage of its Android platform to dominate the market.

The CCI said the tech large became getting into forced agreements with players in the space to ensure that its bouquet of apps – consisting of Google Chrome, YouTube, Google Maps and others – were used.

The Android-associated inquiry was started out in 2019, following court cases by using purchasers of Android smartphones. The case is similar to the only Google faced in Europe, where regulators imposed a $5bn fine at the corporation for using its Android working device to benefit unfair benefit within the market.

Google had called CCI’s choice “a major setback for Indian customers and corporations”, including that it’ll evaluate the order and determine on the subsequent steps.