Google restores delisted apps on its Play Store after govt displeasure

New Delhi: After intervention by the central government, Google, on Tuesday, said that it is reinstating all the delisted apps of Indian companies on its Play Store.

Telecom and Information & Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who chaired a meeting between Google and Indian startups in New Delhi said that the discussions had been constructive and that the tech giant had agreed to list all the apps. He also said that the company has been supporting India's technology development journey.

"We believe Google, and the startup community will be able to come to a long-term solution in coming months," he said, indicating the two sides will now sit down and thrash out the issue of levy of service charge.

Separately, Google said that it was temporarily reinstating apps of Indian internet companies that were delisted from Play Store on March 1.

“In the spirit of cooperation, we are temporarily reinstating the apps of the developers with appeals pending in the Supreme Court. Google maintains its right to implement and enforce its business model, as established in various courts,” a Google spokesperson said.

Google will begin invoicing its full applicable services fees in the interim and will extend the payment timelines for these companies, it said in a statement. "We will look forward to a collaborative effort to find solutions that respect the needs of all parties," Google said.

On March 1, Google delisted over 100 apps including Bharat Matrimony, Info Edge (which runs Naukri, 99acres, and Jeevansathi), Shaadi.com, and Kuku FM from Play Store for not complying with the company's app billing policy.

Google's action came after the Supreme Court refused to pass an interim order protecting internet firms from being delisted from Google's Play Store on February 9, 2024. The next hearing is listed for March 19.

The app developers had approached the Supreme Court against Madras High Court's order that had dismissed its plea challenging Google's enforcement of its app billing policy.

As the government took strong exception to the removal, calling it unacceptable, Google beginning Saturday restored some apps that agreed to comply with its guideline to pay a fee of 11-25% on in-app payments or do financial transactions outside of the app.

Key issue was Google's in-app fee. While Google says the fees help develop and promote the Android and Play Store ecosystem, startups say the company was employing ‘monopolistic practices', forcing them to use its payment system and pay a fee, failing which they were being offloaded by Play Store.

Antitrust body Competition Commission of India had previously ordered Google not to mandatorily enforce an earlier system of charging 15-30%. Google thereafter imposed a fee of 11-26% and removed the apps that weren't paying the fee.