“This Kind of De-Listing Cannot Be Permitted”: IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw After Google Removes Indian Apps From Play Store

Google has removed over 10 Indian apps from the Google Play store due to non-compliance with its app billing policy. This move has sparked a response from the Indian government, with Union Information and Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stating that the government has called Google for a meeting next week to address the dispute.

"India is very clear, our policy is very clear...our start-ups will get the protection that they need. I have already called Google, I have already called the app developers which have been delisted, we will be meeting them next week. This cannot be permitted. This kind of de-listing cannot be permitted," Vaishnaw told PTI.

VIDEO | Here's what Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) said on #Google removing multiple apps from Play Store. #PTIExclusive

"India is very clear, our policy is very clear...our start-ups will get the protection that they need. I have already called Google, I… pic.twitter.com/mKZSV2QflF

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 2, 2024

The minister highlighted that India has successfully developed a robust startup ecosystem with over one lakh startups and over 100 unicorns emerging in the last decade. He emphasized the need to fully direct the energy of the country's youth and entrepreneurs and asserted that it should not be subject to the regulations imposed by major tech companies.

"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, energy of our talented people that has to be channelised fully well, it cannot be left to the policies of any big tech," Vaishnaw said.

The removal of these apps was observed on March 1, affecting matrimony firms like Matrimony and Shaadi.com, streaming platforms Altt, Aha, and Stage, dating apps Truly Madly and Quack Quack, audio content platform Kuku FM, and social networking app FRND. Later in the day, Info Edge's Naukri and 99acres were also taken down from the Play store. Notably, these companies/apps were petitioners in a case against Google's app billing policy in the Supreme Court.

Google justified its action by stating, "After giving these developers more than three years to prepare, including three weeks after the Supreme Court’s order, we are taking necessary steps to ensure our policies are applied consistently across the ecosystem." At the heart of the matter lies the Google Play Billing System (GPBS) and Google's payment policies for Android apps. These policies initially mandated developers to exclusively utilize GPBS for the sale of all digital goods and services through the in-app billing system. Currently, the Supreme Court is expected to consider petitions from startups challenging Google's app billing policy on March 19.