App Developers Up In Arms As Google Makes GPBS Mandatory Outside India

Global technology giant Google has made Google Play Billing System (GPBS) mandatory for all Indian app developers to use in territories outside India. However, it has annoyed the Indian app developer community.

Anupam Mittal, founder of Shaadi.com's parent company People Group, said that Google has requested app developers to use the GPBS outside India. If they do not comply, Google will delist their apps from its Play Store within 14 days.

Google's recent decision to mandate the use of its billing system for in-app purchases outside India has sparked concerns among Indian app developers. They are worried that this move will limit their options for payment systems and impact their ability to distribute their apps on the Google Play Store.

In a recent tweet, Mittal said: "Received a call from @Google today mandating their payments for Indian developers in continued violation & disregard of @CCI_India orders & Indian laws. Neo-colonialism at its worst! Hope the media, courts & @PMOIndia are taking note... the Digital East India Co is here."

Under the GPBS, Google mandated all in-app purchases to be done only through its payment gateway. For this, the company charges 30% commission. Other payment methods including cards, net banking, UPI, wallets, etc. will be available under UCB, which is anticipated to go into effect on April 26. However, they will come with a commission of 11-26%.

MapmyIndia chief executive Rohan Verma has come out openly against it. He tweeted: "Terrible! Everyone needs to standup [sic] for India and Indians and stop this foreign colonial domination and destruction of the domestic economy and indigenous rights.''

The Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF), a trade association that represents Indian startups like MapmyIndia, Paytm, Matrimony and TrulyMadly, has even filed a lawsuit against Google in Delhi High Court, asking for a ruling ordering the CCI to get involved in the UCB system's implementation by Google starting on April 26.

The ADIF said that by enforcing the UCB policy, Google was acting anti-competitively and that the industry group's objections against the tech giant were being ignored by CCI since there was no quorum. Delhi High Court has completed hearing the arguments and has reserved its judgement.