The tech giant had delisted several prominent services from the Play Store, causing outrage and spurring government action
Google has begun restoring several Indian apps that were removed from its Play Store on Friday due to payment disputes, following the intervention of Indian Communications and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Times of India reported on Sunday. The minister stated that such actions “cannot be permitted” and urged the involved parties to engage with the government on the matter.
The US tech giant shocked the market on Friday when it announced that ten companies, including “many well-established” services like jobs marketplace Naukri, real estate company 99acres and matrimonial services Shaadi, Matrimony, and Bharat Matrimony, as well as several dating apps, had avoided paying fees for using the Play Store and would be delisted from the platform.
As prominent startup founders voiced their opposition to Google’s move, New Delhi swiftly responded. Ashwini stated that the government would not permit the delisting of apps and called for a meeting with the tech company. “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 delisting cannot be permitted,” the IT minister said in an interview with PTI news agency.
He added that India had built a strong startup ecosystem, producing more than 100 unicorns from scratch in a decade, and that the fate of youth and entrepreneurs “cannot be left to the policies of any big tech.”
Today is a dark day for India Internet. Google has delisted major apps from its app store even though legal hearings are underway @CCI_India & @indSupremeCourt Their false narratives & audacity show they have little regard for 🇮🇳 Make no mistake – this is the new Digital East…
— Anupam Mittal (@AnupamMittal) March 1, 2024