CCI Warns Apple it Will Proceed With Antitrust Case

New Delhi: India gave Apple a final warning that it would press ahead with an antitrust case against the US tech giant, delaying the company’s responses to authorities for more than a year and undermining the investigation, a secret order shows.

Apple has said it fears it could be fined up to $38 billion if India’s competition watchdog uses the global turnover calculation as punishment. Denying the allegations, Apple challenged the criminal rules in the Indian court and the case is ongoing.

While the Delhi High Court is still hearing this appeal, a confidential order passed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on December 31 shows that Apple has privately sought to pause the entire case while the penalty rules dispute is before the court. CCI rejected the request.

The watchdog said it asked Apple in October 2024 to appeal the investigation’s findings and provide financial details often used to assess penalties, but the company has since received “repeated extensions”.

“The Commission is of the view that repeated extensions despite strict instructions undermine procedural discipline and hinder the timely conclusion of the proceedings,” the CCI order, seen by Reuters, said. The statement was included.

“Such leniency cannot be sustained indefinitely,” he added, issuing a final warning to Apple that he would proceed with the case unilaterally if no response was received by next week.

Apple did not respond to Reuters’ questions.

Apple views the CCI’s December decision as a move to block ongoing court proceedings and the company is unlikely to respond before the judges’ next hearing on Jan. 27, a source familiar with the matter said.

Tinder owner Match and Indian startups have been locked in an antitrust battle with Apple since 2022. In 2024, investigators published a report stating that the US smartphone company had engaged in “malicious conduct” in the iOS app market.