The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has withdrawn a preliminary report that investigated potential anti-competitive practices by Apple in the Indian market. Apple complained that some secret business information was included in the report, so the investigation has been put on hold.
The privileged information which Apple shared with the director general of investigation includes business data such as India sales numbers which the company does not publicly disclose, according to another person who is aware of the matter. The details were provided to help with the probe and were intended to be private.
An earlier investigation this year by the CCI found that Apple may have unfairly affected the digital products and services market in India. But the tech giant challenged the findings, arguing that certain information shared with the regulator was privileged and should not have been included in the report.
The confidential data remains undisclosed. While the withdrawal of the report temporarily halts the investigation, the CCI retains the discretion to either release a redacted version or initiate a fresh inquiry.
This development comes amid growing global scrutiny of Apple, including in the US and EU, over its market dominance and business practices. India has emerged as a significant market for smartphones and digital services.
Apple has been expanding its manufacturing operations in India to reduce reliance on China. The CCI’s decision to step back from the investigation, even temporarily, is likely to be closely watched by industry observers and consumer advocacy groups, as per Bloomberg.