Google challenges India’s Digital Competition Bill over six business areas

MUMBAI: Google’s digital empire could face a regulatory reality check in India, with the technology giant preparing to challenge proposed competition rules that could bring six of its business areas under tighter scrutiny. From the apps pre-installed on Android phones to how advertisers use data, the proposed Digital Competition Bill could affect how the company connects its products, distributes services and makes money across its ecosystem.

According to an exclusive report by Moneycontrol, Google plans to make a fresh submission to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) within the next two weeks, seeking changes to the proposed legislation. The company had also raised objections during industry consultations in August and September, indicating that concerns over the framework have persisted through the consultation process.

The stakes are significant because the proposed legislation identifies nine categories of digital services that could fall within its scope. Google could qualify as a Systemically Significant Digital Enterprise (SSDE) in six of these categories, compared with three for Meta and two for Amazon, according to the report.

The designation matters because companies brought under the framework could face obligations designed to prevent them from using their market position to favour their own services or disadvantage competitors. The legislation remains under consideration, however, and the final requirements will depend on the law’s provisions and which services ultimately qualify for SSDE status.

For Google, the potential changes could reach across a connected network of products rather than affect a single business in isolation. Its operations span search engines, web browsers, operating systems, video-sharing platforms, cloud services and digital advertising through products including Google Search, Chrome, Android, YouTube, Google Cloud and Google Ads.

These services do not operate in separate silos. Android provides a route for distributing Google applications, Chrome and Search help users navigate the internet, YouTube attracts audiences and advertisers, while Google Ads connects businesses with consumers across digital channels. Changes to the rules governing one part of this network could therefore have implications for the commercial arrangements surrounding others.

One of the key concerns identified in the report is the possibility that Google could be required to open Android to third-party app stores, potentially ending the Play Store’s exclusive position as the primary app marketplace on the platform. Such a change could give users and developers more options for distributing and accessing applications, while requiring Google to reconsider aspects of its existing app distribution arrangements.

The proposed framework could also affect the pre-installation of applications on Android devices, the use of Google Play’s billing system, the treatment of competing app stores and the sharing or combination of customer data across services.

For developers, changes to app distribution and billing rules could alter how applications reach users and how transactions are handled. For Google, they could require a rethink of arrangements that connect Android devices, its app marketplace and other services. The precise obligations, however, will depend on the final legislation and the services designated under it.

The implications could extend to the advertising market as well. Google Ads relies on technology and data to help advertisers reach relevant audiences across digital platforms. If the proposed rules restrict how designated companies combine customer information across services or use their position to favour their own offerings, advertisers could see changes in the way certain targeting and campaign arrangements operate.

That does not automatically mean advertising services would lose access to all cross-platform data or that particular targeting features would disappear. The impact would depend on the restrictions ultimately imposed and how they apply to Google’s businesses. Nevertheless, the possibility of tighter rules adds another layer of uncertainty for advertisers and other companies that depend on the platform’s tools.

The proposed categories include search engines, web browsers, operating systems, video-sharing platforms, cloud services, advertising services, online messaging, social networking and online marketplaces. Google’s potential exposure across six areas would make it one of the most widely covered companies under the proposed framework, based on the figures cited in the report.

Meta’s potential exposure is concentrated in social networking, online messaging and advertising, accounting for three categories, while Amazon could fall within two through its marketplace and cloud businesses. These comparisons reflect the reported potential scope of the legislation rather than confirmed designations.

Importantly, operating in a listed category would not automatically make a company an SSDE. Eligibility would depend on the applicable thresholds and other criteria, including financial measures and user numbers, under the final framework. The eventual scope of the law could therefore differ from the current assessment of which businesses may qualify.

At the heart of the proposed legislation is a shift in how competition rules would apply to large digital platforms. The Digital Competition Bill seeks to introduce an ex-ante framework, under which designated companies would have to comply with specified obligations in advance, rather than waiting for a regulator to investigate a particular practice and establish that it amounts to an abuse of dominance.

This would differ from the existing approach under which the Competition Commission of India generally investigates alleged anti-competitive conduct and intervenes based on its findings. An ex-ante system would seek to address certain risks before they develop into specific disputes, particularly in digital markets where a platform’s scale and interconnected services can make it difficult for rivals to compete.

The proposed rules aim to prevent large platforms from favouring their own products, imposing unfair conditions on business users or using control over key digital services to disadvantage competitors. For companies operating across multiple categories, the framework could require closer scrutiny of how products are bundled, how users access competing services and how commercial advantages flow between businesses.

The legislative process began with the Committee on Digital Competition Law, which submitted its report and draft law to the MCA in 2024. In April 2026, the government asked the Management Development Institute, Gurugram, to conduct a market study linked to the proposed framework.

Google’s planned submission would add to the industry feedback already received during consultations in August and September. The company is seeking changes to the proposed rules, according to Moneycontrol, but the specific amendments it intends to request were not detailed in the information available.

The outcome could have implications beyond Google. A framework covering major digital platforms may affect how developers distribute applications, how businesses use advertising services and how competing providers gain access to users. For regulators, the challenge will be to address competition concerns without creating unintended consequences for consumers, businesses or the functioning of digital services.

For now, the Digital Competition Bill remains under consideration, and no final SSDE designations or resulting obligations have been established under the proposed framework. Google’s planned intervention signals that the debate over how India should regulate its largest digital platforms is continuing, with Android, app distribution and advertising among the areas potentially affected.

If enacted in its proposed form, the legislation could change the rules of engagement for companies whose products are deeply interconnected. Google’s next submission to the MCA will therefore be an important step in a debate that reaches from the app store on a smartphone to the advertising systems powering India’s digital economy.