Google relists Indian apps in U-turn after government criticism

NEW DELHI — Alphabet's Google will restore the Indian apps it deleted after a billing dispute, the company said on March 5 — a reversal in stance following pushback from the government and local Internet start-ups.

The US firm on March 1 removed the apps of 10 Indian firms, including popular ones by Matrimony.com, for not complying with its policy of paying a service fee when in-app payment options other than Google's are used.

"In the spirit of co-operation, we are temporarily reinstating the apps of the developers with appeals pending in the Supreme Court," Google said in a statement.

The decision was taken after a closed-door meeting between Google India head Sanjay Gupta and Indian Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, a source familiar with the discussions said.

The app removals sparked criticism from Indian companies, many of which have been at loggerheads with Google for years.

The dispute centres on efforts by some Indian start-ups to stop Google from imposing a fee of 11 per cent to 26 per cent on in-app payments after the country's antitrust authorities ordered it not to enforce an earlier fee of 15 per cent to 30 per cent.

The start-ups have challenged Google's policy in courts, including the Supreme Court, and before the antitrust watchdog.

"We believe that in the coming months, both the start-up community as well as Google would be able to come to a long-term resolution," Vaishnaw told Reuters partner ANI.

He had criticised Google's decision to remove the apps on March 2, saying "it cannot be permitted".

ALSO READ: Google removes some India matrimony apps, executive calls move 'dark day'