Govt talks tough to Google after 10 Indian apps removed from Play Store, says “delisting cannot be permitted”
The controversy over Google’s recent removal of 10 Indian apps from the Google Play Store has escalated. The Indian government has declared its strong disapproval of the delisting of homegrown apps and indicated it will not be tolerated. The dispute centres around the non-payment of service fee by these apps, leading to their removal from Google Play Store, including matrimony services like Bharat Matrimony and job search app Naukri. The government has called for a meeting with Google and the affected startups next week to address the escalating issue. The government has indicated its strong stance on the issue by saying, “delisting cannot be permitted”,
Government Takes Strong Stand
In an interview with PTI, IT and Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasised the critical role of the startup ecosystem in the Indian economy, asserting that their fate cannot be subject to the decisions of major tech corporations. Vaishnaw stated, “India is very clear, our policy is very clear…our startups will get the protection that they need.”
India has witnessed remarkable growth in its startup ecosystem, boasting over one lakh startups and more than 100 unicorns within a decade. Minister Vaishnaw underlined the necessity to channel the energy of the youth and entrepreneurs, emphasising that it cannot be dictated by the policies of big tech companies.
In response to Google’s removal of apps, the minister revealed plans for a meeting with Google and the delisted app developers to find a resolution. He categorically stated, “I have already called Google…I have already called the app developers who have been delisted, we will be meeting them next week. This cannot be permitted. This kind of delisting cannot be permitted.”
“I will be telling Google…Our entrepreneurial energy…startups, look at the whole startup India programme, 10 years back we had practically nothing and today we have more than 1,00,000 startups, more than 100 unicorns…this is something…the energy of our youth, the energy of our entrepreneurs, the energy of our talented people that has to be channelised fully well, it cannot be left to the policies of any big tech,” the Minister told PTI.
Reason for removal of apps
The ongoing dispute stems from Google imposing a service fee of 11 to 26 percent on in-app payments, following an order by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to scrap the earlier system of charging 15 to 30 percent. Google proceeded with delisting apps that refused to comply with the new fee structure after the Supreme Court denied interim relief to the companies behind these apps.
While the affected companies, including Bharat Matrimony and Kuku FM, expressed discontent with Google’s actions, the government is gearing up to safeguard the interests of Indian startups. The meeting scheduled for next week is expected to pave the way for a resolution to the escalating tensions between the government, Google, and the affected startups.
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The controversy over Google’s recent removal of 10 Indian apps from the Google Play Store has escalated. The Indian government has declared its strong disapproval of the delisting of homegrown apps and indicated it will not be tolerated. The dispute centres around the non-payment of service fee by these apps, leading to their removal from Google Play Store, including matrimony services like Bharat Matrimony and job search app Naukri. The government has called for a meeting with Google and the affected startups next week to address the escalating issue. The government has indicated its strong stance on the issue by saying, “delisting cannot be permitted”,
Government Takes Strong Stand
In an interview with PTI, IT and Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasised the critical role of the startup ecosystem in the Indian economy, asserting that their fate cannot be subject to the decisions of major tech corporations. Vaishnaw stated, “India is very clear, our policy is very clear…our startups will get the protection that they need.”
India has witnessed remarkable growth in its startup ecosystem, boasting over one lakh startups and more than 100 unicorns within a decade. Minister Vaishnaw underlined the necessity to channel the energy of the youth and entrepreneurs, emphasising that it cannot be dictated by the policies of big tech companies.
In response to Google’s removal of apps, the minister revealed plans for a meeting with Google and the delisted app developers to find a resolution. He categorically stated, “I have already called Google…I have already called the app developers who have been delisted, we will be meeting them next week. This cannot be permitted. This kind of delisting cannot be permitted.”
“I will be telling Google…Our entrepreneurial energy…startups, look at the whole startup India programme, 10 years back we had practically nothing and today we have more than 1,00,000 startups, more than 100 unicorns…this is something…the energy of our youth, the energy of our entrepreneurs, the energy of our talented people that has to be channelised fully well, it cannot be left to the policies of any big tech,” the Minister told PTI.
Reason for removal of apps
The ongoing dispute stems from Google imposing a service fee of 11 to 26 percent on in-app payments, following an order by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to scrap the earlier system of charging 15 to 30 percent. Google proceeded with delisting apps that refused to comply with the new fee structure after the Supreme Court denied interim relief to the companies behind these apps.
While the affected companies, including Bharat Matrimony and Kuku FM, expressed discontent with Google’s actions, the government is gearing up to safeguard the interests of Indian startups. The meeting scheduled for next week is expected to pave the way for a resolution to the escalating tensions between the government, Google, and the affected startups.
Also, read other top stories today:
AI backlash! AI firms are facing increasing pressure from some of the world’s most formidable names in technology and media, as new tools spark fresh questions over the risks posed by chatbots that threaten to rival human intelligence. Read all about it here. Found it interesting? Go on, and share it with everyone you know.
App fight @Google Play! Industry body IAMAI on Friday “advised” Google not to delist any apps from Google Play, after the tech titan sent out a clear warning that it will remove apps not complying with Play store billing policies. Some interesting details in this article. Check it out here.
GenAI coming, but not very soon! Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said that GenAI could – by some definitions – arrive in as little as five years. Check it out here. If you enjoyed reading this article, please forward it to your friends and family.
One more thing! We are now on WhatsApp Channels! Follow us there so you never miss any updates from the world of technology. To follow the HT Tech channel on WhatsApp, click here to join now!
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