Indian Competition Commission launches investigation into Google's effect on the mobile device market

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is now investigating Google following a complaint that the company is exploiting a monopoly in the country. This allegation relates to Android and the dominant position it has established as a mobile device ecosystem. Given that India is the second-largest market for these products in the world, this is a serious complaint to level against any company.

An estimated 90% of users in this market do indeed use Android. Therefore, the CCI has moved to test the possibility that Google takes advantage of this fact in order to sew the market there up for itself. The body also has a solid precedent to do so.

The European Union's own Commission mounted a similar investigation against the Mountain View giant not long ago, and was in a position to fine the company for over a billion euros in accordance with its findings. Should the CCI also discover evidence of anti-trust behavior on Google's part, it could impose similar penalties. This would involve a fine equating to a tenth of a given company's revenues for the last 3 financial years.