India’s long-running antitrust battle with Apple has reached a critical moment. The country’s competition watchdog has delivered a final warning to the US tech giant, making it clear that the investigation will move forward — with or without Apple’s cooperation.
According to a confidential order reviewed by Reuters, Indian regulators have accused Apple of delaying responses for over a year and actively undermining the probe into its App Store practices.
Why Apple Is Under Fire in India
At the centre of the dispute is Apple’s control over its iOS App Store ecosystem. A Competition Commission of India (CCI) investigation concluded last year that Apple abused its dominant position by forcing app developers to use its in-app payment system and restricting alternative options.
Apple has strongly denied the allegations. However, the stakes are enormous. The company has warned that it could face penalties of up to $38 billion if India applies its controversial method of calculating fines based on global turnover, rather than India-specific revenue.
That potential penalty has become Apple’s biggest concern — and the reason behind its legal counterattack.
Apple’s Legal Challenge and CCI’s Pushback
Apple has challenged India’s penalty calculation rules in the Delhi High Court, arguing that global-revenue-based fines are excessive and unfair. That case is still being heard, with the next hearing scheduled for January 27.
While the court challenge continues, Apple privately requested the Competition Commission of India to pause the entire antitrust case until the penalty issue is resolved.
The CCI flatly rejected that request.
In a December 31 order, the regulator said Apple had already been granted multiple deadline extensions since October 2024 to submit objections to the investigation’s findings and provide financial data used to assess penalties.
The watchdog wasn’t pleased.
“Such Indulgence Cannot Continue”
In unusually sharp language, the CCI said Apple’s repeated delays were disrupting the legal process.
“Repeated extensions, despite unambiguous directions, undermine procedural discipline and impede the timely conclusion of proceedings,” the commission noted.
It added that this level of flexibility “cannot be continued indefinitely”, issuing Apple a final ultimatum: respond within the next week, or the case will proceed unilaterally.
Apple has not commented publicly on the order.
Apple’s Position: ‘Wait for the Court’
Sources familiar with the matter say Apple views the CCI’s December move as an attempt to preempt the High Court’s decision. The company is reportedly unlikely to respond to the regulator before judges hear the matter later this month.
This puts Apple in a high-risk position — betting on the courts while facing mounting pressure from regulators.
A Long-Running Battle With Big Stakes
This isn’t Apple’s first antitrust clash in India. Since 2022, the company has been locked in legal battles with Indian startups and global players like Match Group, the owner of Tinder, over App Store commissions and restrictions.
In 2024, investigators formally concluded that Apple engaged in “abusive conduct” in India’s iOS app market — a finding that now forms the backbone of the current enforcement action.
Final Words
India’s message to Apple is no longer subtle. Regulators are done waiting, deadlines are over, and patience has run out. If Apple doesn’t respond soon, the case will move forward — potentially leading to one of the largest antitrust penalties the tech industry has ever seen.
With court hearings looming and regulators standing firm, Apple’s India problem is entering its most dangerous phase yet.
