Google has removed some of India’s most important applications from the Play Store over its payment issue, sparking a fresh row between the Indian government and Google.
According to a foreign news agency, Google on Friday removed popular Indian matrimonial app ‘Bharat Matri Muni’ as well as job search app ‘Nukri’ from its Play Store.
Google says that these applications did not follow the guidelines regarding service fee payments due to which they have been removed from the Play Store.
India’s Information Technology Minister Ashwani Vaishnu rejected Google’s move, saying that such removal of applications from the App Store would not be allowed.
He said that Google has already been talked to and I will also talk to startups that need to be protected in the country.
The removal of the application from the Play Store has been criticized by several startup companies that have long protested against Google’s modus operandi and even challenged it in the courts.
Google says this service fee is used to improve the Play Store and the Android ecosystem.
Some Indian startups had approached the court against the 11-26 percent service fee charged by Google, but in January and February this year, two Indian courts, including the Supreme Court, upheld Google’s charge of this fee. Permission was granted.
In this regard, Google said in a statement on Friday that some of the Indian companies that received huge amounts of money as payments had decided not to pay us fees from that amount.
The most affected in this regard is the wedding company ‘Matri Money.com’ whose more than 150 applications have been removed from the Play Store by Google.
“All our applications have been removed and are no longer available on the Play Store, which means we are out of business,” said Mauro Gavel Janaki Raman, founder of Matri Money.com, while talking to a news agency on Saturday. .
He said that if all this continues for a long time, our profits will decrease significantly.
Apart from this, the popular application ‘Job’ and a real estate application have also been removed by Google from the Play Store.
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### Interview with Industry Expert on Google’s Removal of Indian Apps from Play Store
### Interview with Industry Expert on Google’s Removal of Indian Apps from Play Store
**Interviewer:** We are here today with Dr. Anisha Patel, a digital economy expert, to discuss a recent controversy involving Google and the Indian government. Dr. Patel, thank you for joining us.
**Dr. Patel:** Thank you for having me.
**Interviewer:** To start, can you explain what happened with Google and the Indian applications, particularly ‘Bharat Matri Muni’ and ‘Nukri’?
**Dr. Patel:** Certainly. Recently, Google removed these two significant applications from its Play Store, citing non-compliance with service fee payment guidelines. This decision has sparked a considerable backlash, as these apps are quite popular in India for matrimonial services and job searches, respectively.
**Interviewer:** What reasons did Google provide for this removal?
**Dr. Patel:** Google stated that the apps did not adhere to their established payment policies, which are designed to ensure that service providers pay a commission on transactions made through their platforms. This is part of Google’s broader strategy to manage how apps monetize their services on its ecosystem.
**Interviewer:** How has the Indian government responded to Google’s actions?
**Dr. Patel:** India’s Information Technology Minister, Ashwani Vaishnu, criticized Google’s decision, asserting that such removals would not be tolerated. He emphasized the need for a regulatory framework that protects Indian developers from arbitrary actions by large tech companies. This reflects a growing frustration within India regarding the power dynamics between local businesses and multinational corporations.
**Interviewer:** Why is this issue significant for India’s digital economy?
**Dr. Patel:** The removal of these apps underscores a pivotal battle over digital sovereignty. For a country like India, which is investing heavily in its digital infrastructure and startups, having strong local apps is essential for economic growth and job creation. Any unilateral action by a foreign entity like Google can destabilize the prevailing business ecosystem and can hurt local developers substantially.
**Interviewer:** What implications could this have for future app developers in India?
**Dr. Patel:** This incident may spur Indian developers to seek alternative platforms beyond Google Play Store. It could also encourage the government to implement stricter regulations regarding the operations of foreign tech companies in India, aiming to create a fairer competition landscape. Ultimately, this could lead to a more robust digital economy that prioritizes local innovation.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for your insights, Dr. Patel. It will be interesting to see how this situation develops and what it means for the future of app development in India.
**Dr. Patel:** Thank you for having me. I look forward to seeing how both the Indian government and Google navigate this ongoing issue.
