Apple Faces $38 Billion Antitrust Penalty in India

On April 21, according to a report by Caixin on April 20, Indian regulators have decided to expedite the ruling on a fine against Apple due to the company’s failure to submit relevant data in an antitrust case. The fine could reach up to $38 billion, with a final hearing scheduled for May 21. This antitrust case began in 2021 when the Indian Startups Alliance and Tinder’s parent company Match filed a lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the company forced developers to use its proprietary in-app purchase system and charged high commissions, constituting an abuse of market dominance. In 2024, India introduced new antitrust regulations that allow regulators to calculate fines based on a company’s global revenue rather than just its revenue within India. In November 2025, Apple filed a lawsuit in the Delhi High Court questioning the legality of this new regulation, arguing that if calculated at 10% of the average global service revenue over the past three fiscal years, the fine could reach up to $38 billion. In January of this year, the Indian Competition Commission opposed Apple’s claims.