Apple approaches Delhi court to stop CCI from seeking financials

Apple approaches Delhi court to stop CCI from seeking financials

23 Jan 2026, 05:44 PM

CCI has been examining Apple's App Store practices and allegedly concluded that the company misused its market dominance.

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Apple has approached the Delhi High Court seeking to stop the Competition Commission of India (CCI) from accessing its international financial information as part of an antitrust investigation into the tech giant's operations in the country.

CCI has been examining Apple's App Store practices and allegedly concluded that the company misused its market dominance.

Apple disputes these claims, and has said it faces potential fines reaching approximately $38 billion if penalties are determined using its worldwide revenue figures.

The tech company has requested the court to halt the CCI's proceedings temporarily and prevent any enforcement actions while its legal challenge proceeds. Apple contends that complying with the regulator's December 31 directive for financial records would undermine its ongoing challenge to India's penalty framework, which authorities maintain is essential for preventing international corporations from exploiting their market power.

The court is scheduled to address the matter on January 27.

The dispute traces back to July 2024, when the CCI determined that Apple had leveraged its controlling position by requiring developers to exclusively use its built-in payment processing system. According to the regulatory agency's findings following investigations initiated in 2021, developers have no alternative but to accept Apple's conditions, including the compulsory use of its proprietary billing infrastructure.

The investigation began after the Alliance of Digital India Foundation raised concerns that Apple's commission of up to 30% on in-app transactions stifles competition by increasing expenses for both developers and consumers. Regulators found that Apple barred external payment providers and prevented apps from directing users to alternative payment methods, breaching competition regulations.

The CCI has accused Apple of prolonging proceedings by repeatedly requesting deadline extensions for filing its responses, which it says disrupts procedural order and delays case resolution.

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