India: Cartels, Monopolies

An information had been filed against Reliance Jio Infocom Limited and more than 4,500 entities operating across various sectors of the economy, inter alia alleging contravention of the provisions of Sections 3 and 4 of the Act. The informant had raised allegations of anti-competitive practices spanning multiple sectors, including logistics, telecommunications, Government-e-Marketplace (‘GeM’) procurement, energy and infrastructure, batteries and energy storage, plywood and engineered wood products, cement, steel and electrical products, information technology hardware, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (‘FMCG’), education, fertilisers, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, laminates, plastic and pipes, mattresses, staple foods, and real estate in the eastern and north-eastern regions of India.

The Competition Commission of India closed proceedings against the All India Organisation of Chemist & Druggist, pharmaceutical manufacturers' associations, and 22 pharmaceutical companies, rejecting allegations that they colluded to control stockist appointments and new drug launches through mandatory Letters of Cooperation and Product Information Service charges.

The Competition Commission of India has issued significant rulings on anti-competitive practices in agricultural input distribution and tire procurement, while also approving major acquisitions in sports franchising and education technology. These decisions demonstrate the CCI's active enforcement against bid-rigging and boycott campaigns, alongside its assessment of market consolidation in emerging sectors.

Apple Inc. (Apple) has moved the Delhi High Court challenging how penalties are calculated under India's revamped competition law framework. The challenge stems from an ongoing antitrust investigation into Apple's App Store practices in India. Complaints from app developers, including Match Group, alleged that Apple's restrictions on in-app payments and distribution unfairly disadvantage competitors and developers

Cartels remain the most serious form of anti-competitive conduct under competition law. By coordinating prices, restricting output, rigging bids, allocating customers, or dividing territories, cartel participants replace competitive market forces with collusion, causing significant harm to consumers, businesses, and the economy. Such arrangements typically operate in secrecy, making detection one of the most challenging aspects of competition law enforcement worldwide.

The Competition Commission of India examines allegations against the Venkateshwara Hatcheries Group concerning potential abuse of dominant position and anti-competitive practices in India's commercial poultry sector. People for Animals claims the vertically integrated enterprise leverages significant market power across breeding, feed production, and distribution of layer hens and broiler chickens.

The Competition Act, 2002 ("Act") is the central statute which, through various provisions, aims to curb practices that affect competition adversely. Specifically, it prohibits anti-competitive

India implemented substantive provisions relating to anticompetitive agreements and abuse of dominance in 2009 and merger control/ combination regulations in 2011.

In a significant stride to strengthen the existing "whistleblower" mechanism, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has notified The Competition Commission of India (Lesser Penalty)...