The government isn’t rushing to roll out the Digital Competition Bill, according to Harsh Malhotra, the Minister of State for Corporate Affairs. Speaking on Sunday at the 10th National Conference on Economics of Competition Law, Malhotra made it clear that while there’s a growing need for such a bill, the process won’t be hasty. “We’re not in a big hurry,” he said. “The government wants to get this right, and that means more discussions and following the proper steps before bringing it to the table.”
Malhotra emphasized a balanced approach to enforcement. Yes, strict measures are needed to uphold the law, but he also wants to encourage companies to regulate themselves and stay compliant. He pointed out that India should take a hard look at how places like the European Union, Japan, and Australia handle digital competition laws to see what might work here. “We don’t want Indian digital players overshadowed by global giants, but they shouldn’t steamroll smaller players either,” he explained. “These conversations are still happening, and we’re waiting on a report from the electronics ministry.”
For Malhotra, it all boils down to one thing: strong, fair markets are the backbone of India’s economic future.
Keeping Pace with AI and the New Economy
At the same event, Ravneet Kaur, the chairperson of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), weighed in on the challenges of regulating today’s fast-moving markets. With artificial intelligence (AI) popping up everywhere, she warned that it could lead to sneaky forms of collusion—like prices syncing up without anyone explicitly agreeing to it—or even algorithmic tricks dressed up as “dynamic pricing.”
“Regulators can’t afford to fall behind,” Kaur said. “We need to understand tech and its impact on competition. Markets aren’t just about supply and demand anymore—they’re complicated systems where incentives, efficiencies, and clever strategies all mix together.”
Kaur also touched on the Competition Amendment Act’s new settlement and commitment rules. She said the CCI is leaning into a trust-based system, letting companies step up early—even as soon as an initial concern is flagged—to address issues. “If they’re ready to make solid commitments, we’re open to reviewing them and fixing the market fast,” she added.
On penalties, Kaur clarified that fines based on global turnover would kick in if companies don’t share their financials or if the numbers just aren’t available.
Updates on Big Tech Cases
Kaur also gave a quick rundown on some high-profile CCI cases. In the WhatsApp-Meta saga, where the social media giant was hit with a penalty for dodgy data-sharing practices, she said the companies are about to submit their compliance report. The CCI will be digging into it soon.
As for the Amazon-Flipkart investigation—where both e-commerce giants faced allegations of flexing their dominance—Kaur noted that 46 petitions from various parties have piled up. Those have all been shipped off to the Karnataka High Court for now. Still, she stressed that the CCI isn’t slowing down. “We’re staying focused on getting final decisions out the door,” she said.