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 payment of service fees 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 he has already talked to Google 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 out of 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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**What are the implications of Google’s removal of Indian apps for local businesses in India?**
**Interview with Dr. Anisha Mehta, Digital Policy Expert**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Mehta. Recently, Google removed some significant Indian applications, including *Bharat Matri Muni* and *Nukri*, from its Play Store over payment guideline issues. Can you explain why this is causing such a stir in India?
**Dr. Mehta:** Thank you for having me. This situation underscores the ongoing tensions between global tech companies and national governments regarding digital sovereignty. The removal of these apps has not only affected users who rely on them but also highlights the broader issue of how local businesses navigate compliance with foreign platform policies. The Indian government’s immediate response indicates that they perceive this as an overreach by Google, impacting local economic ecosystems.
**Interviewer:** What are the specific payment guidelines that Google claims these apps violated?
**Dr. Mehta:** Google has specific rules that require developers to use its billing system for in-app purchases and service fees. When apps like *Bharat Matri Muni* and *Nukri* attempt to circumvent these fees or employ alternative payment methods, they risk non-compliance with Google’s policies, leading to their removal. This can be quite contentious, especially for apps that serve niche markets like job searches and matrimonial services in India.
**Interviewer:** India’s Information Technology Minister, Ashwani Vaishnu, has criticized Google’s actions. What does this indicate about the government’s stance on tech regulation?
**Dr. Mehta:** Minister Vaishnu’s statements signify a strong commitment to protecting local businesses against what the government views as unfair practices by foreign corporations. His insistence that such removals “will not be allowed” suggests that India may take a firmer stance on regulating tech giants to ensure they adhere to local laws and standards. This could mean more stringent oversight and perhaps the introduction of regulations specific to how these platforms operate within India.
**Interviewer:** How do you see this situation evolving in the coming weeks?
**Dr. Mehta:** It’s likely that there will be negotiations between the Indian government and Google. We may see either a resolution that accommodates local compliance needs or further escalations, possibly leading to new policies that govern how companies like Google operate in India. This incident might also encourage other nations with similar grievances to reassess their regulatory frameworks for foreign digital platforms.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for your insights, Dr. Mehta. It seems like a critical moment for the tech landscape in India.
**Dr. Mehta:** Absolutely. It’s a pivotal time for digital policy, and how India navigates these challenges could serve as a model for other countries facing similar issues with big tech companies. Thank you for having me.
