FairSquare Bulletin
Your daily dose of competition law news from trusted sources
Apple board, executives sued over anticompetitive conduct
3 March 2026
A shareholder on behalf of Apple Inc. has alleged that the company’s board and top executives are responsible for billions of dollars in penalties, settlements and other costs stemming from anticompetitive conduct. The retirement fund that brought the case to the court for the Northern District of California also claimed that directors and executives, including CEO Tim Cook, breached their fiduciary duties to Apple by allowing or furthering monopolistic conduct stretching back more than a decade.
UK’s competition regulator investigates anti-competitive conduct among hotel providers
2 March 2026
The UK’s competition regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority, is investigating the suspected sharing of competitively sensitive information among competing hotel providers via a hotel data services provider. The businesses, which include CoStar, Hilton, IHG and Marriott, are being investigated for possible infringement of Chapter I of the Competition Act, 1998.
Read more on Gov.UK.
Live Nation to appear before US jury over monopoly claims
2 March 2026
The U.S.’s largest concert promoter, Live Nation Entertainment Inc., heads to a jury trial over claims by the U.S. Justice Department and more than 36 states that the company is illegally monopolising the live music industry and should be forced to shed its Ticketmaster unit. Live Nation has denied that it operates an illegal monopoly even as it has endured nearly two decades of antitrust scrutiny. Antitrust enforcers allege that Live Nation operated “mutually reinforcing” monopolies to force venues and artists to use its services. The U.S. government, meanwhile, claims that the company controls 65% of the concert promotion market.
Read more on Bloomberg.
Belgium opens antitrust probe into Google’s online advertising practices
27 February 2026
Belgium’s competition regulator said that it had opened an investigation into the sale of online ads by Google and whether it constituted an abuse of the company’s dominant market position. While the investigation is in a preliminary phase, Google is already being the subject of several European Union antitrust investigations and has been fined billions of euros in Europe for antitrust violations in recent years. Earlier in February, Google said it also risked another antitrust investigation by the European Commission over concerns it may be unfairly driving advertising prices higher.
Microsoft’s Japan chief stresses compliance with antitrust probe into Azure services
26 February 2026
The head of Microsoft Corporation’s Japanese unit said that the company is complying with Japan’s competition authorities as they examine possible anti-competitive practices involving the Azure cloud services. The country’s Fair Trade Commission is probing whether Microsoft restricted customers’ use of non-Azure platforms. This investigation comes as the U.S. Federal Trade Commission ratchets up a probe into Microsoft’s licensing and other business practices to see whether the company illegally monopolises the enterprise computing market with its cloud software and AI offerings.
Vanguard settles antitrust suit for $29.5 million in Texas
26 February 2026
Vanguard Group will pay $29.5 million and bolster its passive investing approach in order to settle a suit by 13 Republican state attorneys general claiming the fund manager and rivals violated antitrust law through their climate activism. The states sued three firms, namely, Vanguard, BlackRock and State Street, in 2024 over actions like their membership in industry trade groups focused on climate change, which the Republicans said served to reduce coal production and boost energy prices. All three remain major fossil-fuel industry shareholders, rejecting calls to boycott coal and oil stocks over climate concerns.
Read on Reuters.
Apple and Amazon took too long to remove anti-competitive clauses, Spanish regulator says
25 February 2026
Spain’s regulator ruled that Apple and Amazon took too long to take out anti-competitive clauses outlining Amazon’s conditions as an Apple distributor that the companies had been told to remove immediately. The CNMC regulator had filed a claim against the two companies for 194 million euros ($228 million) in total in July 2023 over those clauses and ordered their immediate removal from distribution contracts. It said that they unfairly restricted the number of Apple resellers on Amazon’s website in Spain. The regulator had also alleged at the time that the clauses limited the amount of space on Amazon’s Spanish website where Apple competitors’ products could be advertised and prevented Amazon from running marketing campaigns.
Read more on Reuters.
House Democrats open inquiry into ouster of U.S. antitrust chief Gail Slater
25 February 2026
Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee demanded a briefing from the U.S Justice Department on the removal of Gail Slater, who was forced to resign as head of the antitrust division among tensions with the Trump administration. In a letter to the attorney general, Jamie Raskin sought a briefing on the role of Trump-connected lobbyists in Slater’s removal, after she tried to block a $14 billion merger between Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Juniper Networks. This request for a briefing has the potential to become a much larger investigation should the Democratic Party reclaim the House majority in the upcoming midterm elections.
Read more on The Guardian.
Eleven US states urge DOJ to thoroughly probe Netflix-Warner Bros. deal
25 February 2026
Attorney Generals of the Republican Party from 11 U.S. states have urged the U.S. Department of Justice to conduct a thorough review of Netflix’s bid to acquire studio and streaming assets from Warner Bros., claiming the deal threatens U.S. dominance in movies. They also cited opposition from movie theatre industry groups concerned that the deal would decrease the number of theatrical releases. The pressure is mounting on Netflix after Warner Bros Discovery opened the door to consider Paramount Skydance’s increased bid of $31 per share.
Read more on Reuters.
US antitrust enforcers to revamp guidelines on competitors collaborating
24 February 2026
The US Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission will open a public inquiry to inform new guidelines for businesses on the bounds of the law when it comes to collaborating with competitors. The agencies are calling for public input on what types of new practices and technologies they should address in the guidance. The previous guidelines were issued in 2000, and these were withdrawn by the President Joe Biden administration in 2024 after claims that they were outdated.
Read more on Reuters.
WhatsApp agrees to comply with CCI’s data sharing policy by March 16
23 February 2026
WhatsApp told the Supreme Court that it will comply with the directions issued by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in connection with the case of user content for data sharing with its parent, Meta, under the controversial 2021 privacy policy update. The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) had earlier directed Meta to implement CCI’s safeguards within three months. The batch of pleas filed by WhatsApp and Meta, along with a separate appeal of the CCI challenging one of the NCLAT findings, arose from the CCI’s order imposing a 213 crore penalty on Meta for WhatsApp’s 2021 “take it or leave it” privacy policy.
Read more on The New Indian Express.
U.S. Justice Department sues OhioHealth for anticompetitive healthcare contracts
20 February 2026
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, together with the Attorney General of Ohio, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today challenging OhioHealth Corporation’s anticompetitive contract restrictions that force Ohio patients to pay higher healthcare prices. The complaint seeks to enjoin OhioHealth, the largest healthcare system in central Ohio, from enforcing its anticompetitive contractual terms and continuing to suppress healthcare competition. It is alleged that the company used its market power to impose contractual restrictions that impede or prevent insurers from offering innovative, money-saving health-insurance plans or plan features.
Read more on Department of Justice.
UK raises antitrust concerns in Getty-Shutterstock merger
19 February 2026
Britain’s competition watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), said it had provisionally found concerns about the UK editorial content supply in the proposed merger between U.S.-based Getty Images and rival Shutterstock, but cleared the deal in the global stock content market. Both companies said they disagreed with the regulator’s finding and plan to file responses by the March 12 deadline, while continuing to work with the U.S Department of Justice on its ongoing review of the deal. The $3.7 billion deal would combine two of the largest global providers of visual content. The CMA had previously announced in November 2025 that it would move the transaction into a more in-depth Phase 2 investigation after determining that the remedies proposed by the companies did not sufficiently address its competition concerns.
CCI approves the acquisition of portfolio management services business of Axis Securities by Axis Asset Management Company
18 February 2026
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of the portfolio management services business of Axis Securities Limited (Transferor) by Axis Asset Management Company Limited (Acquirer) in India (Target Business). The Acquirer manages a mutual fund business and is also engaged in the business of providing portfolio management services.
Read more on PIB.
CCI approves merger of Hinduja Leyland Finance with and into NDL Ventures
18 February 2026
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the proposed merger of Hinduja Leyland Finance with and into NDL Ventures. The proposed combination seeks to merge and consolidate Hinduja Leyland Finance's businesses into NDL Ventures, which currently has no active operations. Hinduja Leyland Finance operates as a non-banking financial company (NBFC)- Asset Finance company that focuses on providing small size ticket loans for urban and semi-urban retail customers.
Read more on PIB.
European Commission closes antitrust investigation on Edwards Lifesciences
16 February 2026
The European Commission has decided to close its antitrust investigation into allegedly anticompetitive behaviour by Edwards Lifesciences, a producer of medical devices for cardiovascular applications. The move follows the company’s withdrawal of its so-called Global Unilateral Pro-Innovation Policy (UPIP), which is no longer applicable and has been removed from the company’s website. The inspections, which started in September 2023 was to investigate whether conduct by Edwards Lifesciences could breach EU antitrust rules that prohibit abuses of dominant market position. In particular, the Commission has been looking into whether the company may have limited physicians’ freedom to participate in clinical trials and other scientific activities sponsored or supported by a competing manufacturer of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) devices.
Read more on the European Commission.
China issues new anti-monopoly rules for internet platforms
13 February 2026
China’s market regulator has released anti-monopoly guidelines for internet platforms to help prevent collusion and unfairly high prices. The new framework focuses particularly on the use of algorithms and other sophisticated tools that could enable platforms to coordinate prices or manage traffic distribution in ways that undermine fair competition. Authorities also labelled “all-network lowest price” requirements as a risk, prohibiting dominant platforms from forcing merchants to lower prices on their platforms whenever they drop prices elsewhere. The regulator also clarified that even companies with less market share could still face monopoly investigations if they impose conditions requiring merchants to offer them prices or terms that are equal to or better than those offered to rival platforms.
U.S. antitrust chief Gail Slater ousted from Trump justice department
12 February 2026
The head of the U.S. Justice Department’s antitrust division, Gail Slater, stepped down less than a year after being appointed by President Donald Trump, marking the highest profile casualty in a battle within the administration over policing anti-competitive conduct. Slater, a veteran antitrust attorney, was confirmed in March 2025 to head the division which enforces laws against illegal monopolies. Her defenestration followed a strained relationship with the attorney general, Pam Bondi, and her isolation outside the department. The decision marks a victory for Bondi and Donald Trump lobbyists, who had grown increasingly frustrated with Slater when she sought to block a $14 billion merger between Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Juniper Networks over its potential to create a duopoly in the market.
Read more on The Guardian and Reuters.
CCI imposes penalty on Intel Corp. for discriminatory India-specific warranty policy
12 February 2026
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 27.38 crores on Intel Corporation for its India-specific warranty policy in respect of boxed microprocessors. An order has been passed under the provisions of Section 27 of the Competition Act, 2002, imposing the penalty for contravention of provisions of Section 4 of the Act. The case originated from the information filed by Matrix Info Systems Private Limited under Section 19(1)(a) of the Act, which alleged that the policy only entertained warranty requests for Intel boxed microprocessors in India when the same are purchased from an authorised Indian distributor of Intel. The CCI held Intel to be dominant in the market for boxed microprocessors in India and found the policy to be discriminatory in comparison with the company’s policies in other countries.
Read more on PIB.
BlackRock executives hit with investor lawsuit over alleged climate collusion
10 February 2026
American financial services company BlackRock and some of its corporate leaders are facing an investor lawsuit that accuses them of mounting an illegal campaign to curb coal production across the United States. The lawsuit, filed by a shareholder in the Texas federal court, claims BlackRock leaders used the asset management firm’s sizable holdings in major coal companies to pressure them into cutting production. BlackRock allegedly misled investors by marketing some of its funds as unrelated to environmental or social objectives while still using the shares held in those funds to support a climate-related agenda. The lawsuit said BlackRock’s directors approved and oversaw the alleged scheme despite the antitrust risks and in breach of their fiduciary duties to shareholders.
Read more on Reuters.
Google secures EU antitrust approval for $32 billion Wiz acquisition
10 February 2026
Google gained unconditional European Union’S (EU) antitrust approval for its $32 billion acquisition of cybersecurity company Wiz, its biggest ever deal, after regulators said the deal would not raise any competition concerns. The deal, announced in March 2026, is said to boost Google’s presence in cybersecurity and in the cloud computing sector, where it competes with bigger rivals Amazon and Microsoft. EU’s competition authority, the European Commission, said any data acquired by Google via the deal is not commercially sensitive and can also be assessed by other security software companies.
Read more on Reuters.
Google hit by European Publishers Council against AI Overviews
10 February 2026
The European Publishers Council (EPC) has hit Google with an antitrust complaint over its AI-generated summaries known as AI Overview, a move that could add weight to an ongoing EU investigation into the issue. Rivals have voiced concerns that Big Tech’s dominance in new technologies could shut them out, while publishers have been critical of tech giants using their content without paying them. The EPC said that Google relies on its control of online search to secure access to content without payment, echoing similar EU antitrust concerns. The Commission has said Google may be abusing its market power as a search engine to impose unfair trading conditions on publishers.
Read more on The Economic Times.
Israel’s antitrust body to fine airline $39 million for price gouging during war
8 February 2026
Israel’s Competition Authority said on Sunday it planned to levy a fine of 121 million shekels, which is approximately $39 million, on flag carrier El Al Israel Airlines for setting excessive and unfair airfares during Israel’s Gaza war. The fine is the maximum allowed by law. The antitrust body said it reviewed the period from October 7, 2023, through May 2024 and found that El Al operated as a monopoly on 38 of the 53 routes it operated. It found that ticket prices rose by an average of 61%- and as much as 31%- noting that since most foreign carriers had halted flights, the airline “held market power”. The authority noted that findings of “excessive price gouging” are used rarely and cautiously by competition authorities worldwide.
Read more on Reuters.
U.S. antitrust body scrutinise Netflix’s $83 billion Warner Bros Discovery bid
8 February 2026
Netflix’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery for $83 billion has come under review by U.S. antitrust authorities. Officials at the U.S. Department of Justice are examining whether Netflix’s proposed $83 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery could raise competition concerns. Regulators have contacted industry participants to assess whether Netflix could gain excessive market power through the transaction. The review is said to involve both Section 2 of the Sherman Act, which addresses illegal monopolisation, and Section 7 of the Clayton Act, which prohibits deals that could substantially reduce competition.
Read more on CPI.
CCI to probe into IndiGo mass flight cancellations
6 February 2026
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) ordered an investigation into InterGlobe Aviation Ltd., which operates IndiGo, to probe allegations that the airline abused its dominant position following the mass cancellation of flights in December 2025 unleasing travel chaos. The Director General for Investigation has been asked to submit a report within 90 days, after which the CCI will decide on any further action. This is the latest blow for IndiGo after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation imposed a penalty last month.
Read more on Bloomberg.
NCLAT upholds CCI decision to close abuse of dominance case against NSE
6 February 2026
The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) dismissed an appeal challenging a Competition Commission of India (CCI) order closing allegations of abuse of dominant position against the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (NSE) in relation to its co-location services in Manoj K Sheth v. Secretary. Competition Commission of India. A coram of Judicial Member Justice (Retd.) Faizal Alam Khan and Technical Member Naresh Salecha dismissed the appeal. The appeal arose from a complaint alleging that NSE had granted preferential and discriminatory access to select brokers through its co-location facility, thereby distorting the competition in the securities market. In its 2021 order, the CCI ruled that dominance by itself is not prohibited under competition law.
Read more on Bar and Bench.
FTC crackdown on law firm DEI efforts tests antitrust limits
5 February 2026
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission took a fresh tack last week in the federal government’s crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, warning 42 major law firms that their hiring practices may violate U.S. antitrust law. By invoking alleged threats to competition, the strategy could bolster broader, ongoing efforts by President Donald Trump’s administration to combat DEI using anti-discrimination law. However, according to legal experts, bringing an antitrust case would face a high bar. The FTC issued letters to prominent firms like Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison; Latham & Witkins; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, and focused on their participation in a certification program aimed at expanding lawyers’ access to leadership positions. The letters that such agreements can distort competition for labour in the legal professions.
Read more on Reuters.
U.S. files appeal in Google antitrust case over search monopoly
4 February 2026
The U.S government and a majority of U.S. states will appeal the outcome of the landmark antitrust case against Alphabet’s Google, according to court papers. A Washington federal judge in 2024 ruled that Google has a monopoly in online search, but rejected the most stringent remedies. Their challenge will likely focus on the judge’s decision not to require Google to sell off its Chrome browser or end its lucrative arrangement with Apple to serve as the default search engine on new devices. Meanwhile, Google is already appealing U.S District Judge Amit Mehta’s ruling that it broke the law to starve off competition in online search and related advertising.
Read more on Reuters.
CCI approves subscription to 15.01% equity shareholding of Ambit Wealth Private Limited by Daiwa International Holdings Inc.
3 February 2026
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the subscription to 15.01% equity shareholding of Ambit Wealth Private Limited (Target) by Daiwa International Holdings Inc. (Acquirer). The proposed combination envisaged as a subscription to equity shares amounting to 15.01% shareholding, on a fully diluted basis, of the Target by the Acquirer.
Read more on PIB.
Supreme Court sets aside NCLAT order of CCI probe against Flipkart, sends back case for fresh adjudication
3 February 2026
The Supreme Court, after six years, has set aside an order of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) which directed the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to probe alleged violations of competition law by e-commerce giant Flipkart in Flipkart v. Competition Commission of India. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi remanded the matter back to the appellate tribunal for fresh adjudication. It held that the NCLAT must reconsider the case after taking into account Flipkart’s contention that the tribunal had relied on observations that were not legally relevant under the Competition Act, 2002.
Read more on The Economic Times and Bar and Bench.
Supreme Court to decide whether CCI can examine competition issues arising from patent disputes
2 February 2026
The Supreme Court of India has indicated that it will decide whether the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has jurisdiction to examine alleged anti-competitive conduct arising from the exercise of patent rights in CCI v. Swapna Dey. A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and Vijay Bishnoi stayed parts of a National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) judgment, which held that the Competition Act, 2002, does not apply where allegations of abuse of dominance stem from the exercise of patent rights. The NCLAT had held that such disputes fall exclusively within the domain of the Patents Act, 1970. The apex court has clarified that it will decide the matter only on the question of jurisdiction.
Read more on Bar and Bench.
New York federal judge dismisses antitrust case against major academic publishers on ‘peer review’ pay
31 January 2026
A New York federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit accusing some of the world’s largest academic publishers of thwarting competition by barring scholars from submitting papers to multiple journals simultaneously and denying pay for peer review. The lawsuit, involving major names such as Sage Publications, Springer Nature, Taylor & Francis, and Wolters Kluwer, centred on how academic journals handle manuscript submissions and peer review. It said that the practice of not paying scholars for peer reviews amounted to unlawful price-fixing, in violation of U.S. antitrust law. The lawsuit also said that the publishers unlawfully agreed not to compete with each other for manuscripts, reducing incentives to review and publish work more quickly. The researchers claimed the publishers together earned more than $10 billion in 2023 from peer-reviewed journals and sought to bring the case as a class action on behalf of “hundreds of thousands” of affected scholars.
Supreme Court quashes JioStar’s plea to halt CCI probe into alleged abuse of dominance in Kerala TV market
27 January 2026
The Supreme Court dismissed a plea filed by Reliance Industries-owned streaming platform JioStar seeking to halt a probe by the Competition Commission of India into allegations of abuse of dominant position and discriminatory pricing in Kerala’s television market. A bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Sandeep Mehta said the matter is at a preliminary stage and CCI may be allowed to continue with its probe. The case arises from a complaint by Asianet Digital Network, Kerala’s major cable and TV distributor, which alleged JioStar’s dominance in the state and that it misused this position by offering preferential and discriminatory discounts to a rival, while denying similar terms to other distributors. Asianet alleged that these discounts of more than 50% were violative of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) rules, which only allow discounts up to 35%.
European Commission moves to make Google help AI, search rivals access its services
27 January 2026
The European Commission has said that Google will be given guidance by European Union (EU) antitrust regulators on how to help online search rivals and artificial intelligence developers access its services and its Gemini AI models. The company has been at the brunt of criticism from rivals who allege that it has an unfair advantage that it obtains from its market power. Google rejects these allegations made by its rivals, who are looking to the EU’s Digital Markets Act to give them a leg up. The regulators will inform how Google should grant third-party AI service providers equally effective access to the same features as those available to its own AI services, along with access to anonymised ranking, query, click and view data to third-party providers of online search engines.
Read more on Reuters.
CCI approves proposed acquisition of certain unit holding in National Highways Infra Trust by Nitro Asia Holdings II Pte. Ltd.
27 January 2026
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the proposed acquisition of certain unit holding in National Highways Infra Trust by Nitro Asia Holdings II Pte. Ltd. The proposed combination envisages the acquisition of certain unit holding of the Target by the Acquirer through on-market transactions on a registered stock exchange.
Read more on PIB.
JioStar moves Supreme Court against CCI probe over alleged abuse of dominance in Kerala TV market
25 January 2026
Reliance Industries-owned streaming platform JioStar has moved the Supreme Court of India, challenging the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) probe into alleged abuse of dominance and discriminatory pricing in Kerala’s television market. The company has challenged a December 2025 order of the Kerala High Court, which refused to stay the CCI’s investigation and directed it to complete the probe within eight weeks. The case arises from a complaint by Asianet Digital Network, Kerala’s major cable and TV distributor, which alleged JioStar’s dominance in the state and that it misused this position by offering preferential and discriminatory discounts to a rival, while denying similar terms to other distributors. Asianet alleged that these discounts of more than 50% were violative of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) rules, which only allow discounts upto 35%.
Read more on Mint.
Google must face consumer antitrust lawsuit over online search dominance, California federal judge rules
23 January 2026
Google has failed to persuade a California federal judge to dismiss a consumer lawsuit accusing the Alphabet unit of illegally using business agreements with major tech companies to shut out rivals in the online search market. Judge Rita Lin’s order said that the proposed class action had shown adequate evidence to move forward on their core claims alleging that Google violated federal antitrust laws in developing and maintaining its search dominance. The lawsuit filed in 2025 focuses on agreements Google made with mobile device manufacturers and others. In 2024, it was ruled in a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit that the company holds an illegal monopoly in online search.
Read more on Reuters.
India antitrust probe links Tata, JSW to steel cartel
23 January 2026
An antitrust investigation report shows that four major Indian steelmakers- Tata Steel, JSW Steel and state-run SAIL and RINL- disclosed their pricing plans to rivals and coordinated production cuts to reduce supplies. Earlier in January 2026, an investigation by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) had concluded that 28 firms colluded on steel prices, exposing them to face hefty fines. The latest findings focus on the four largest producers, which together control an estimated 44.4% of the domestic steel market. The investigation report that has not been made public shows the commission reviewed dozens of WhatsApp chats that were seized during 2022 industry raids and analysed pricing changes, sales and production patterns.
FTC says it will appeal Meta antitrust decision by U.S. district judge
21 January 2026
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said that it will appeal the ruling in favour of Meta in its antitrust case given on Novemeber 2025. The FTC said it continues to allege that, for more than a decade, Meta Platforms Inc. has “illegally maintained a monopoly” in social networking through anticompetitive conduct by buying the significant competitive threats it identified in Instagram and WhatsApp.”Meta prevailed in the case that could have forced it to spin off Instagram and WhatsApp after U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled that the company does not hold a monopoly in social networking.
Read more on The Hindu and The Economic Times.
Indian law allowing penalty based on global turnover is illegal: Apple to Delhi High Court
20 January 2026
Apple has told the Delhi High Court that its challenge to the Indian law allowing retrospective penalties on global turnover is necessary, claiming that the provisions are illegal. The company has made these submissions in its rejoinder filed against a joint affidavit filed by the Indian government and the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to Apple’s writ petition. In its plea, the tech company challenged Section 27(b) of the Competition Act, 2002, as well as the provisions of the Competition Commission of India (Determination of Monetary Penalty) Guidelines, 2024. These provisions allow CCI to levy fines of up to 10 per cent of a company’s total global turnover for abuse of dominant position or entering into anti-competitive agreements. Apple has reiterated that the law provides untrammelled power and discretion to the CCI.
Read more on Bar and Bench and The Economic Times.
CCI approves acquisition of certain equity stake in Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited by Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited
20 January 2026
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of a certain equity stake in Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited (Target) by Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited (Acquirer). The Proposed Combination involves the acquisition by the Acquirer of an additional 30.58% shareholding in the Target. As of the date, the Acquirer already holds 68.84% shareholding in the Target, which will increase to 99.42% post-Proposed Combination.
Read more on PIB.
CCI approves acquisition of 50.01% equity share capital of Thriveni Pellets Pvt Ltd
20 January 2026
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of 50.01% equity share capital of Thriveni Pellets Pvt Ltd by Tata Steel Ltd. The proposed combination relates to Tata Steel Limited’s proposed acquisition of 50.01% equity share capital of Thriveni Pellets Private Limited (TPPL) from Thriveni Earthmovers Private Limited.
Read more on PIB.
Google appeals a US district judge’s verdict over search monopoly
17 January 2026
Google has appealed a US district judge’s landmark antitrust ruling that found the company illegally held a monopoly in online search. According to Google, the ruling by Judge Amit Mehta didn’t account for the pace of innovation and intense competition the company faces. While Judge Mehta acknowledged the rapid changes to Google’s business due to the emergence of artificial intelligence when he issued his remedies in September, he refused to grant government lawyers their request for a Google breakup. Instead, he pushed for less rigorous remedies, including a requirement that Google share certain data with “qualified competitors” as deemed by the court, and to allow certain competitors to display its search results as their own.
Read more on BBC.
India defends antitrust penalty law as Apple challenges multibillion-dollar fine
8 January 2026
The Indian government told a Delhi court that Section 27(b) of the Competition (Amendment) Act, 2002, will discourage breaches by multinational companies, while opposing Apple’s challenge to strike down the law. The regulation permits the CCI to levy fines of up to 10 per cent of a company’s total global turnover rather than limiting penalties to revenue generated within India. Regulators have said this change is meant to stop powerful companies from dismissing antitrust sanctions as a mere “cost of doing business.” Meanwhile, Apple, in its lawsuit, said the law may result in disproportionate fines for breaches that occurred only in India. Under this framework, Apple could face a potential fine estimated at around $38 billion, reflecting 10 per cent of its worldwide revenue.
India seeks fare data from airlines as part of IndiGo antitrust scrutiny
7 January 2026
The Indian government has asked IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet and Akasa to provide data on average fares charged, through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, as antitrust authorities investigate unprecedented travel disruptions in December. Pilot shortages at IndiGo, which dominates India’s aviation market with a 65% share, forced it to cancel about 4,500 flights last month, stranding thousands of passengers and disrupting air travel nationwide. The CCI, in December 2025, said it was proceeding against IndiGo to assess whether it had abused its market position.
Read more on The Economic Times.
CCI approves acquisition of Krosaki Harima Corporation by Nippon Steel Corporation
6 January 2026
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of 53.4% shareholding in Krosaki Harima Corporation by Nippon Steel Corporation. Nippon Steel holds an existing stake of 46.6% in Krosaki, and accordingly, pursuant to the Proposed Combination, Nippon Steel’s shareholding in Krosaki would be 100%.
Read more on PIB.
India probe finds Tata Steel, JSW Steel, SAIL breached antitrust law by colluding on prices, regulatory order shows
6 January 2026
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has found market leaders Tata Steel, JSW Steel, state-run Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), and 25 other firms breached antitrust law by colluding on steel selling prices. It has also held 56 top executives liable for price collusion over varying periods of time between 2015 and 2023. The findings stem from a long-running investigation into alleged coordination among steelmakers on pricing and supply, which the regulator concluded distorted competition in the domestic market over several years. The probe examined patterns of simultaneous price increases, aligned market behaviour and communication among firms and industry bodies, which the regulator said could not be explained by market forces alone.
Read more on Reuters and New India Express.
California Federal Judge Lays Down Rules for States Challenging HPE–Juniper Deal
1 January 2026
A federal judge in California has established the framework for a multistate legal challenge to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) approval of Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s $14 billion purchase of Juniper Networks, amid allegations that the deal was politically tainted. The ruling follows a decision in December 2025 in which US District Judge Casey Pitts determined that the states are entitled to probe aspects of the settlement process. The agreement itself became controversial after two DOJ officials were dismissed for objecting to how HPE pursued the acquisition. The dispute centres around the scope of the Tunney Act, a 1974 law which requires court approval of antitrust settlements reached by the DOJ.
Apple Seeks to Appeal £1.5 bn UK Decision on App Store Purchases
26 December 2025
Apple applied to the Court of Appeal to challenge the October 2025 decision of the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal, which held that the company abused its dominant position and overcharged UK customers for years through the App Store. The case was originally filed by King’s College London academic Dr Rachel Kent, where the tribunal found that Apple’s control over app distribution on iPhones and iPads enabled it to charge commissions of up to 30 per cent. If the appeal fails, Apple may be forced to pay compensation to every UK customer who made App Store purchases between 2015 and 2024. Apple was previously denied permission to appeal from the tribunal itself, following which it applied to the Court of Appeals, which is still empowered to allow appeals.
Read more on The Guardian and CPI.
California becomes third U.S. state to issue state premerger requirements
10 February 2026
Governor Gavin Newsom has signed the California Uniform Antitrust Premerger Notification Act into law, making California the third state to adopt the Uniform Antitrust Premerger Notification Act, the federal law on the premerger notification regime. The California law is set to go into effect on 1 January 2027. The new law seeks to remedy the state concern of state attorneys general not having notice of deals and access to party information that is disclosed to the Federal Trade Commission or the U.S. Department of Justice without party consent.
Read more on California Legislative Information.