Apple accuses India's antitrust body of 'copy-pasting' rivals' claims in its investigation

Apple has fired back at India's Competition Commission, accusing the regulator of 'copy-pasting' claims made by its rivals into the formal antitrust investigation against the iPhone maker, according to an exclusive Reuters report. The allegation is a pointed legal and reputational challenge to the CCI, implying that the investigation lacks independent rigour and has been unduly influenced by Apple's competitors.

The CCI has been stepping up its oversight of global technology platforms in recent years, launching probes into companies including Google and now Apple over alleged anti-competitive practices. Apple's pushback signals that the company intends to contest the investigation aggressively rather than negotiate a settlement, which could set up a prolonged legal battle.

The charge of 'copy-pasting' rivals' submissions, if substantiated, would raise procedural questions about the integrity of the CCI's investigative process. Regulators globally have faced criticism for leaning too heavily on complainants' narratives, and Apple appears to be deploying a similar defence strategy to that used in other jurisdictions where it has faced antitrust scrutiny.

The outcome of this dispute will be closely watched by multinational technology companies operating in India. A robust CCI ruling upheld against Apple would embolden the regulator; a finding in Apple's favour could prompt the CCI to tighten its investigative procedures. Either way, the case underlines that India's regulatory environment for Big Tech is growing significantly more complex.