On January 15 2026 Apple Inc. Got a clear message from Indias competition regulator. They were told to stop delaying things or the Competition Commission of India would go ahead with the case against Apple Inc. Without them. This warning came after Apple Inc. Had been giving delayed responses for, than a year. The Competition Commission of India said Apple Inc. Was using tactics that slowed down the investigation. The moment everyone is talking about shows a problem that has been going on for a long time. This problem is about the rules for app stores how fines are decided, the rights of people who make apps and how big tech companies are controlled in India. Apple thinks India is an important place for the company to grow. The problem with app-store rules is an issue for Apple in India. Apple wants to grow in India and the rules, for app stores are a part of this.

The Competition Commission of India has told Apple that if Apple keeps putting off its answers and asks the regulator to wait while Apple deals with legal issues in court the Competition Commission of India will still go ahead with its case, against Apple. Apple is the one that has to respond and the Competition Commission of India is watching Apple. The Competition Commission of India wants Apple to give responses.

The problem with Apple started because Match Group, the company that owns Tinder and some app developers from India were not happy. They said that the rules Apple has for its app store and the way it handles payments inside the apps are not fair to companies. The people who looked into this found out that Apple was being unfair and using its power in a way to control the market for apps on iOS devices. Apple has a lot of control, over the iOS app market. It was using that control to hurt other companies, including Match Group and those Indian app developers who make apps for iOS devices.

The main problem with the law is that it was made in India in 2024. This law says that if a company does something they have to pay a fine. The fine is based on how money the company makes all around the world not just in India. Apple is really worried about this law because it could mean they have to pay a lot of money. Apple thinks they might have to pay much as $38 billion.

Apple does not think this is fair so they are fighting it in court. The people in charge of making sure companies follow the rules the CCI say that Apple is just trying to slow things down. The CCI will not stop investigating Apple even though Apple asked them to wait until the court makes a decision about the fine. Apple and the CCI are having a disagreement, about the 2024 Indian law and the fine that Apple might have to pay.

This is where the problem started. It began with complaints and the Competition Commission of India or CCI started to investigate. The CCI looked into these complaints to find out what was going on. The complaints led to the CCIs probe into the matter. The CCIs probe was, about the complaints that people made.

The investigation of Apple started in a way. It began around 2021 when some companies that make apps like Match Group and some startups from India filed complaints with the CCI. These companies that filed complaints said that the rules of Apples App Store are not fair. They said that Apple forces app makers to use Apples payment system when people buy things inside the apps. They also said that Apple does not let app makers tell users about ways to pay for things. The companies that filed complaints think that these rules are bad for competition and make things more expensive, for people who use the apps and for the app makers themselves. The Apple App Store rules they said, are unfair. Cost people and app makers more money.

The Competition Commission of India which is the organization that makes sure companies in India do not do anything started looking into something and then said that Apple did some things that were not right in the market for apps, on the iPhone. This made the next step happen in the process that India uses to make sure companies are not doing things and this step is where the company that is being investigated Apple gets to say what they think and respond before a final decision is made about Apple and the iOS app market and what Apple did in the iOS app market.

Apple’s response and the “playing for time” allegation

Apples reaction to the CCIs process has two parts.

Firstly Apple is not happy with the way the CCI is doing things.

The other thing is that Apple does not think the CCIs process is fair, to Apple.

Apple says it does not do anything. The company thinks it is better because it makes products and people like using them not because it stops others from competing. Apple also says it is not as big as companies like Android, in India so it cannot be doing anything bad. Apple has some problems with the way the CCI wants to figure out how money Apple should pay if it does do something wrong Apple thinks this is not fair and does not follow the rules.

Apple is doing something on this matter. Apple has taken two paths with the law at the time. The thing that will have the effect is what Apple is doing in court about the change India made to its Competition Act in 2024. This change lets India figure out penalties based on how money a company makes everywhere in the world.

So a company that sells a lot of things over the world could have to pay a lot of money in penalties, in India. This is because the penalties are based on how money the company makes everywhere not just how much money it makes in India from the Apple company. The Apple company could face penalties because of this. Apple has told everyone openly and also in the papers they filed in court that if they consider the sales from all over the world the fine could be really huge. Reuters said that the fine could be much as $38 billion if you do the math in a certain way. So Apple wants the courts, in India to explain things better or stop the process that the Competition Commission of India is following.

The CCI made a decision on December 31 2025 that we found out about from news reports. The CCI said that Apple was asking to slow things down many times and was taking too long to give answers. This was too much for the CCI. The CCI thought that Apple was not following the rules and was making it hard to investigate. So the CCI gave Apple a warning. The CCI told Apple that it would keep going with the case even if Apple did not help if Apple did not give the information on time. The CCI wants Apple to follow the rules and give its responses before the deadline. The CCI is serious, about this. Will proceed with the Apple case. The CCI said no to Apples request to stop the investigation until the Delhi High Court makes a decision about the challenge that Apple has. The CCI is still looking into Apples situation. Apple wanted the CCI to wait for the Delhi High Courts decision before moving with the investigation, into Apple.

Why the global-turnover question matters

This is a big deal when it comes to the law. Normally when companies break rules in lots of countries the fines they have to pay are based on how much money they made from the product that was involved in the rule breaking. And this is usually just looked at in the country where the rule was broken.. India made a change in 2024 that says regulators can now use the total amount of money a company makes everywhere not just in one country to decide how big the fine should be. The people who support this change say it stops companies from getting away with things by saying that they do not make that much money, in one particular country when really they make a lot of money all over the world from antitrust violations and antitrust fines and antitrust rules. Critics, including the companies that would have to pay these fines think this is not fair. They believe a small mistake in one place should not be punished based on how money the company makes in other places. The people, rules and business conditions are different, in these places so the companies think it is not right to do it this way.

Apple says that using the money they make everywhere to decide the fine is not fair. This could lead to fines that’re really too much and not allowed by Indian law. Apple thinks that even if they are found to have done something the way the fine is calculated is a different issue. Apple wants the courts to figure this out first so that the people who decide these things do not do anything that’s unfair to Apple. Apple wants to make sure this is done in a way that follows the rules. The company Apple is talking about the method, for calculating fines, which’s what Apple really cares about here with Apple. The CCI thinks about the two things. Liability and the penalty framework. As issues. The CCI can decide if something went wrong and then figure out the penalty according to the law if that is necessary. The CCI does this because it believes liability and the penalty framework are things.

The procedural battleground: pause or proceed?

Apple is asking to stop the CCI procedure for now. They want to wait until the courts make a decision about the turnover legal challenge. This is something that people do in these kinds of situations.

When everything is put on hold it means the people, in charge cannot make any decisions that cannot be changed later. This way Apple and the CCI can figure out the factual issues together.

The people, in charge do not like it when things are put on hold for no reason. From the point of view of the CCI, when things are delayed for long it makes it hard for them to do their job it keeps the people who made complaints and the market waiting for a long time and it can be used as a way for companies to avoid taking responsibility. The CCI made a decision on December 31 which was later made public and it shows that the CCI is getting tired of waiting. The CCI gave Apple a deadline to do something. Warned them that if Apple keeps putting things off the CCI will move forward with the case even if Apple is not there. The CCI is getting frustrated with Apple. In law regulators usually have the power to take action in these kinds of situations. What is really new here is the size of the penalty for administrative law and the global implications, for administrative law that come with it.

The Competition Commission of India or the CCI for short has a lot of options if it decides to move without Apple.

The CCI could take a lot of actions against the company Apple.

If the CCI proceeds without Apple it can look into the business practices of Apple.

The main focus of the CCI will be on the business practices of Apple.

The CCI will see if Apple is following all the rules and regulations.

The CCI could also talk to companies that compete with Apple.

This will help the CCI understand the situation better and make a decision, about Apple.

The CCI has to make sure that Apple is not doing anything that hurts companies.

The CCI will do its best to make sure that Apple follows all the rules and does not hurt the business of companies, especially the companies that compete with Apple.

If the CCI goes ahead without looking at what Apple has to say the CCI has a lot of choices it can make. The CCI can do things according to Indias Competition Act. The Competition Act gives the CCI options to choose from. The CCI can pick from these options when it comes to the Apple case.

We should use the investigation report to tell Apple that they need to explain themselves. Apple needs to say why they should not get in trouble for what they did. We are talking about Apple here. Apple has to give us good reasons why Apple should not have to pay a penalty or do something to fix the problem with Apple.

Impose behavioural remedies (e.g., ordering changes to app-store policies, requiring Apple to allow alternative payment methods or communications).

We need to make changes that affect the entire market. These changes are very rare. Only happen in extreme cases. For example we might have to impose remedies that change the way the market is set up. This means making changes, to the market structure itself which’s a pretty extreme step.

They will suggest fines or penalties under the rule that starts in 2024. These fines or penalties might be based on how money a company makes all around the world. The actual amount of the fine will depend on what the CCI decides. The CCI will do the math to figure out the fine.. The company can still go to court to argue against the fine.

The Competition Commission of India or the CCI makes a decision that’s not good for Apple Apple can take this decision to the courts, in India. Apple can appeal to the Competition Appellate Tribunal. Then the High Court and finally the Supreme Court if Apple thinks the decision is not correct based on the facts and the law. Apple can also ask the courts to do something away to help Apple while the appeals are happening. So even if the CCI makes a decision Apple will probably keep fighting this in the courts.

The decision made by the CCI is still important because it can make a record of what happened it can make Apple do some things away and it can change the way the rules are enforced. The CCI decision can set the record the CCI decision can impose remedies and the CCI decision can change the regulatory dynamic.

People in India who complain about things really care about this issue. The reason is that it affects them directly. Developers and new companies were also involved in this because it has an impact on their work and businesses. Indian complainants want to see some changes. That is why they are speaking out. Developers and startups are also talking about this because they think it is important, for their future.

When we look at things from the point of view of people who are complaining like Match Group and some app developers from India this whole thing is about being able to get into the market making some money and staying in touch with customers. The fees that Apple charges and the rules they have about paying in ways have a big impact on the real world. They mean that developers do not get much money from subscriptions they cannot talk to users about other ways to pay that do not involve the store and. According to the people who are complaining. This puts businesses that rely on subscriptions or money from inside the app at a disadvantage. Apples fees and rules are a problem for these businesses, like Match Group and the Indian app developers because they affect their customer relationships and market access.

Indian startups say that the rules made by Apple create problems for them to grow and make it tough for new ideas to work in India. This is because Apple charges a fee for payments made inside the apps which can be a part of the money that Indian startups make. India has a lot of people using things and this number is growing very fast. So the people who make apps and start companies think that the government should make sure Apple does not do things that are not fair. They are happy that the CCI is listening to their complaints about Apple. Indian startups think this will help local companies to compete with companies, like Apple.

Apple’s wider global posture — not just India

India is not the place where Apple has had problems with the law and rules over the way they run the App Store. For a while now people in charge in the European Union, the United Kingdom, South Korea, the United States and other places have taken a look at the rules of the App Store that Apple has the way they handle payments inside the apps and the limits they put on their system. Apple has faced a lot of scrutiny, over the App Store practices and this is not just happening in India it is happening in other places, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, South Korea and the United States, where Apple has to deal with state attorneys-general and other regulators who are checking the App Store rules and the way Apple does things. The European Unions Digital Markets Act and other local laws have made some companies change the way they do things in places. For example South Korea made a law that says app stores cannot force people to use their billing system. The Digital Markets Act and other laws like it are making companies, like Apple change some of their rules. Apple has even had to pay money to settle some lawsuits related to the Digital Markets Act and these other laws.

So Apple is dealing with a lot of things at the time. Apple is following the rules where it has to and Apple is fighting in court where Apple thinks there is a risk. Apple is also being careful because what happens in one place can affect what happens in places. This is why Apple fights hard in court when Apple thinks a new rule, like the one in India about penalties based on how much money Apple makes everywhere could cause a lot of problems, for Apple. People think that big companies like Google and Facebook should have to follow the rules. Regulators and developers say that these big platforms should not be able to use laws and lawsuits in other countries to get out of being responsible, in the markets where they do business. Big platforms should have to answer to someone when they do something in these target markets. Regulators and developers believe that big platforms are using the law to avoid being held accountable.

Possible outcomes and timelines

It is really hard to say what will happen for sure. Antitrust disputes with tech companies, like Google or Facebook usually take a long time to resolve. We are talking about months or even years. These cases can be very complicated. Involve a lot of different people and courts.

There are a things that could possibly happen though:

The Competition Commission of India or the CCI goes ahead. They make a decision that is not in favor of Apple. So Apple decides to appeal this decision. The CCI can use the report from their investigation say that Apple did something and tell them what they need to do to fix it.

The CCI can also suggest some penalties for Apple. Apple will probably argue against these findings in the courts of India. This will be an difficult process, in the courts but it will make sure that what the CCI wants is written down for everyone to see. The CCI and their policies will be part of the court records.

The CCI is moving forward. It is only going to consider the money that companies make in India when it decides on penalties. The people, in charge could still say that companies are responsible. They might choose to be more careful when it comes to penalties and only look at the money that companies make in India. This way they can avoid getting into legal fights right away. It is a way of doing things that tries to reduce conflict. It might not make the people who complained very happy because they want to see stronger action taken against companies that do wrong things, like the CCI.

The courts step in. Stop the CCI from taking action. If the courts in India think there is a reason to believe that the rule about a companys total turnover from around the world is not fair or does not follow the rules they can tell the CCI to wait or make things clearer which slows down the whole process. This is what Apple is trying to do. But the courts usually do not completely stop the people in charge of enforcing the rules from doing their job they give them some freedom to make decisions. The courts do this because they know the CCI has a job to do and the CCI is in charge of making sure companies, like Apple follow the rules.

The Apple company and the people who complained and the CCI might be able to come to some kind of agreement. Apple, the people who complained and the CCI could work out a deal where Apple agrees to make some changes. For example Apple could let people use payment links or they could lower the fees they charge for some things or they could make the rules, for developers clearer. If they can do this then they will not have to fight about penalties for a time. It is possible for Apple, the people who complained and the CCI to reach a settlement. However this depends on whether the CCI and the people who complained want to set a rule that everyone has to follow.

The timing is important here. We have to consider the deadline set by the Competition Commission of India which’s the CCI and the hearing that is going to take place at the Delhi High Court. This hearing is scheduled to happen around the end of January 2026. Some reports say it will be on January 27. So in the few weeks we can expect to see some things happening in court and the agencies will also be taking some steps.. It will probably take a long time many months before we get a final decision, on the CCI and the Delhi High Court hearing. The CCI and the Delhi High Court will be working on this for a while.

Stakes: fines, market access, and precedent

So Apple is facing a problem. The big number that everyone is talking about is that Apple could get fines as high as 38 billion dollars. Apples fines could be that high because of how the penalty’s calculated using Apples global turnover.. We should not take that number at face value. The people who regulate these things usually have some flexibility there are rules that limit how much Apple can be fined and Apple can go to court to argue their case. Even if the regulators do use Apples turnover to figure out the fine the final amount Apple has to pay will depend on what the law says if Apple can reduce the fine and what the judges decide.. The possibility of such a big fine is a good reason for Apple to fight against the rules. Apple wants to challenge the basis, for these fines.

Market. How much money developers can make. If we change the rules of Apples App Store like letting people use app stores or different ways to pay this will change how much money developers in India can make. It might also affect markets. The rules for Apples App Store are important because they affect how developers do business. If Apples App Store rules change developers in India will see a difference, in their business.

The way India handles issues will set an example for other countries. What India does can affect how other regulators make their decisions. If the Competition Commission of India is able to enforce rules for companies or use big fines based on a companys total sales around the world that could encourage other countries to do the same thing. On the hand if the courts in India limit the penalties that the Competition Commission of India can give, big companies that operate in many countries might use that as a reason to fight against similar rules in other places. The Competition Commission of India and regulatory precedent are very important, in this situation. Regulatory precedent and the actions of the Competition Commission of India will be watched closely by regulators.

This is what it means for people who buy things and Indian startups.

When we talk about startups we are talking about new companies, in India that are just starting out.

For these startups and the people who buy things from them it is going to have a big impact.

Indian startups will have to think about how they can change what they do to help the people who buy things from them.

The people who buy things will also see some changes when they deal with startups.

For people who buy things stricter rules would probably be a thing. They would get prices and more ways to pay for things. They might also see apps and services that are made for their own area, which would be good for the people who make these apps.

However Apple and some people who agree with them say that the fees they charge help pay for things like checking apps to make sure they are safe keeping information private and making sure everything works well. If Apple gets money from these fees they might charge more for their devices or spend less money on making their platform better. The people in charge are taking a look, at this argument to see if it is true.

This is a thing for Indian startups. The people in charge are taking action against companies that control what is on their platforms. This means that companies can use ways to get paid and they do not have to give as much money to the platform. This can really help companies that make money from people paying a fee like dating apps or streaming services or health apps or financial apps.. When there is a court case it can be hard for these companies to get money from investors and to make plans, for the future because they do not know what will happen.

Broader policy context: India’s tech-regulation posture

India is really taking control of the tech companies that operate there. They are doing this in ways. For example they are talking about data-localization, which’s a big deal. They also changed the rules about penalties in 2024. Additionally they made rules for intermediaries and they are closely watching how app stores make money. The people who make these policies want to make sure that the people who use these services in India are protected. They also want to help the businesses in India.. They want to make sure that Indias rules are respected. The problem with Apple is one part of this bigger picture. India is trying to regulate tech platforms, like Apple. People are saying that India is being very strict and forceful. India is using its power to make rules for platforms. India wants companies to follow these rules so it is not just asking them nicely. India is actually using its authority to make sure they do what it wants. Indias approach is about making sure the rules are enforced, than just hoping that companies will do the right thing on their own.

So Apple is a company and they have to think carefully about what they do.

They need to come up with a plan to respond to things that happen.

This plan is, like a roadmap that tells Apple what to do and when to do it.

Apple might respond strategically by doing things that help them in the run.

They will think about what they want to achieve and then make a list of things they need to do to get

For example Apple might look at what their competitorsre doing and try to do something better.

They will also think about what their customers want and try to give it to them.

Apple will be careful. Take their time to make sure they are doing the right thing.

They will not just rush into something without thinking it through.

The people who work at Apple will talk to each other. Share their ideas to come up with the best plan.

This way Apple can respond to things in a way and stay ahead of the game.

Apple will keep doing this to make sure they are always doing the thing.

Apple has a few things it can do. Apple is talking about the things that Apple can control and use to its advantage. These are the things that Apple can use to make changes and improvements. Apple has levers that Apple can use to make things happen.

Litigation is what we need to focus on. We have to keep fighting the penalty calculation and other things that are not right in the courts. If the court rules in our favour it could. Limit what the Competition Commission of India can do. This is a deal, for the Competition Commission of India and its remedies. Litigation is the way to go to deal with the Competition Commission of India and its penalties.

When it comes to negotiation the goal is to have talks with regulators and the people who are complaining. We want to work to make some changes in the way we behave that are good for our industry. We also want to avoid getting penalties that could set an example for others. The main thing is to find a solution that works for everyone so we can make these changes without worrying about what it will mean for our industry in the run. Negotiation is, about finding a way to make things work and that is what we are trying to do here with these talks and changes.

Product and policy changes are really important. We should make some changes to help people in India. For example we can lower the commission rates in India. We can also allow people to use payment links if they follow certain rules.. We should still try to keep our global policy the same when we can. This way we can make things better for people in India without changing everything for everyone. We are talking about product and policy changes, for India.

People should know about how Apple keeps their information safe. Apple wants to tell everyone that they are good at keeping people from getting into their apps. This is important because it costs a lot of money to keep everything. Apple thinks their way of doing things is the way to keep peoples information private and safe. They want to use messages that everyone can hear to make their point about developer security and the costs of keeping the app ecosystem safe. Apples model is what they think is best, for this.

The choice of mix that Apple decides to go with will depend on what the lawyers tell them what makes sense for business the backlash, from politicians and what other companies have done in similar situations. Apple will have to think about all these things when they pick a mix. The mix that Apple picks is going to be influenced by advice, commercial considerations and the political risks that Apple faces. Apple has to consider what other companies have done before this will also affect the mix that Apple chooses.

International reactions and what to watch next

People who follow technology rules will notice a things:

The Delhi High Court is going to have a hearing, on January 27 2026. This hearing and any interim orders that come out of it might change the timeline of the Competition Commission of India or the CCI. The courts have an options. They can stop the CCI from doing something they can ask the CCI to explain something or they can let the CCI keep going with what it is doing. The Delhi High Court and the CCI are waiting to see what happens. The CCI will have to follow what the courts say.

When the Competition Commission of India or the CCI issues a show cause notice or a final order people will look closely at what the CCI says in that order. They will want to know what the CCI thinks is a solution to the problem, which is the remedy. They will also want to know why the CCI is giving a penalty and how the CCI decided on the penalty, which’s the penalty basis. The CCI will have to give a reason for its decision, which is the rationale for the order. The CCI and its orders, including the show cause notice and the final order will be looked, at carefully.

If Apple decides to change its App Store policy in India it will be a deal. Regulators in countries will pay close attention to what happens next. They want to see if changing the App Store policy in India will have an impact on places. This is because regulators in places will watch to see how it all plays out and if it affects them. Apple changing its App Store policy in India could have effects that are felt in countries so everyone is waiting to see what Apple will do with its App Store policy, in India.

People who make software and those who start companies in India will have something to say about this. They might want the government to take action or they might want the rules to be clearer and more fair. The startup community in India and developers in India could ask for rules or they could ask for rules that are easier to understand and follow. This will come from developers in India and the startup community, in India.

Legal nuance: enforcement power vs. judicial review

When it comes to cases about companies not playing fair there is a big question about how much power the people in charge should have. The people in charge need to be able to stop companies from doing things but companies also need to be able to go to court to make sure they are not being treated unfairly. This is an issue in India right now with the Apple case. The CCI, which is the group in charge thinks it has the right to keep going with the case. Apple wants a court to decide if the way they are being punished is fair. The Apple case is an example of this problem because the CCI and Apple are disagreeing about how much power the CCI should have. In the Apple case the question is about how to calculate the penalty. This could make a big difference in how much Apple has to pay. The Apple case is important because it shows how hard it is to find a balance, between giving the people in charge power and making sure companies are treated fairly. The way Indian courts decide to deal with this problem is very important. Indian courts have to figure out what to do when the Competition Commission of India or CCI for short and companies do not see eye to eye. The CCI has the power to enforce the rules. Indian courts have to decide if they should let the CCI make its decisions or if they should make rules to protect companies. What Indian courts choose to do will affect how India regulates businesses. This will have an impact on Indias regulatory landscape. The Competition Commission of India and Indian courts play a role, in this.

Final assessment: why this matters beyond Apple and India

This problem shows us what is happening now in the world of tech rules: countries are not letting big tech companies make all their own rules anymore. Now these companies have to follow rules and laws that are made by the countries where they do business. They also have to pay fines and deal with problems if they do not follow these rules. For tech companies that work in many countries this means that the rules they make for their products may not work in every country. Tech companies like these will have to deal with rules and laws, in different places and that can be very complicated.

If India’s CCI presses ahead, we should expect a consequential legal battle with potential implications for how maximum penalties are calculated for multinational corporations, how platform economics are regulated, and how future complaints from developers are adjudicated. For Apple specifically, the choices it makes — litigate hard, negotiate, or localize policy changes — will reverberate in other markets too.