Apple to Submit India Financials as Four-Year CCI Probe Moves Forward

Apple has agreed to submit the financials of its India business to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) as part of an antitrust investigation that found the iPhone-maker abused its market position, Reuters reported. The development brings the long-running case a step closer to a potential penalty decision.

At a May 21 hearing, Apple's lawyer requested a "final extension" until June 25 to file its "India-specific financial information", which the CCI granted, according to a confidential CCI order reviewed by Reuters.

What Is the Case About?

The case began in 2021 and was brought by a non-profit group, Tinder-owner Match and a group of Indian startups called the Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF). The groups raised concerns about Apple's proprietary in-app billing system, among other issues.

A CCI investigation in 2024 found that Apple had exploited its dominant position in the iPhone apps market, describing the App Store as "an unavoidable trading partner" for app developers, who were not permitted to use third-party payment services for in-app purchases.

Apple denied wrongdoing and said it would contest the findings. It had also, until recently, refused to supply details of its finances.

The Financials Dispute

Apple has argued the case should be paused because it is separately seeking to quash India's antitrust penalty law, which empowers the CCI to penalise companies on the basis of their global, not just Indian, turnover. Apple contended that the CCI had asked for its global financial details, which could lead to a fine of up to $38 billion.

The CCI has repeatedly rejected that position, stating it required only Apple's India financials to proceed, and that Apple was attempting to delay the case through a parallel court challenge. A judge last month directed Apple to "cooperate", the report added.

During the hearing on May 21, ADIF urged the CCI against further delays, the order reportedly showed. Apple has also been asked to submit any objections to the investigation findings.

The case is Apple's most significant regulatory challenge in India, a key growth market where it has rapidly expanded iPhone production. The iPhone accounted for 9% of India's smartphone market in the third quarter of FY25, up from approximately 7% in the same period a year earlier, according to Counterpoint Research data.

Notably, in 2022, the CCI imposed a fine of $113 million on Google for using its dominant position to require app developers to exclusively use its in-app payment system on the Play Store. Google had denied wrongdoing in that case.