The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is digging deeper into Google’s online advertising operations. In an order passed on August 1, the regulator expanded the scope of its investigation into the tech giant’s practices in digital ads, based on a complaint by the Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF).
The CCI has directed its investigation arm, the director general, to club this with ongoing cases concerning Google's adtech behaviour and submit one consolidated report.
Simply put, the watchdog is now looking at the bigger picture across Google’s advertising empire.
Back in 2024, ADIF filed a complaint alleging that Google was abusing its dominance in online advertising, particularly in the search and display ad markets. The group argued that Google’s tight grip on major digital platforms, along with the fact that 97% of its revenue comes from advertising, was leading to unfair market conditions for Indian businesses.
According to ADIF, this dominance is not just a matter of scale—it’s allegedly pushing out fair competition and making it harder for smaller players to survive in India’s digital space.
In response to the latest development, Google said it’s reviewing the CCI’s order. The company also pointed out that one part of the ADIF complaint has been dismissed and expressed confidence that its ad practices would ultimately be seen as compliant and beneficial to advertisers, publishers, and users alike.
Still, with the probe expanding and the stakes high, the matter is far from over.
This isn’t the first time the CCI has taken on Google. The watchdog has been investigating the company since 2021. In 2022, it slapped Google with two significant penalties: ₹936 crore for abusing its dominant position via Play Store policies and ₹1,337.76 crore related to the android mobile ecosystem.
The ongoing investigations, including the current one around adtech services, are part of a broader pattern of regulatory scrutiny facing big tech companies operating in India.