Apple is embroiled in a high-stakes dispute with the Competition Commission of India (CCI), which has accused the company of abusing its dominant position through its App Store policies. Apple has denied the allegations. Neither Apple nor the CCI responded to requests for comment.
At the centre of the dispute is Apple’s concern that it could face fines of up to $38 billion if the watchdog calculates penalties based on the company’s global turnover, rather than its India-specific revenues. Apple has already challenged India’s 2024 penalty rules in court, arguing that they are invalid. That case remains pending.
Despite the legal challenge, the CCI proceeded with its investigation and, in a private order dated December 31, requested access to Apple’s global financial records. In response, Apple filed a petition on January 15—not yet public—asking the Delhi High Court to direct the CCI to halt any action against the company and suspend the investigation for now.
Apple argued that complying with the request at this stage would undermine its broader legal challenge to the penalty framework. The CCI, for its part, has defended the rules as necessary to deter violations by multinational companies operating in India.
The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear the matter on January 27, a hearing that could have significant implications for how India enforces antitrust penalties against global technology firms.