COMPETITION LAW

In a significant development shaping competition enforcement in India, the Supreme Court recently delivered a detailed ruling in the case of CCI v. Schott Glass India Pvt. Ltd. This ruling solidifies the effects analysis principle within the framework of the Competition Act. It emphasizes the importance of a demonstrable objective justification in balancing commercial rationale with proven harm.

In 2024, the Indian antitrust regulator (CCI) had taken proactive stance on safeguarding market competition, issuing 11 prima facie orders and imposing penalties of INR 213.14 crore in total. Key developments include judicial recognition of private settlements, though legislative clarity is still awaited.

In India’s rapidly evolving digital economy, the boundaries between competition law and data privacy law are becoming increasingly porous. Traditionally, data protection and antitrust frameworks operated in separate legal silos with one focusing on individual privacy rights and lawful processing of personal data, and the other on ensuring fair competition in the marketplace.

As India accelerates its digital transformation, 2024 marks a pivotal year for the evolution of Indian technology regulation. This article reimagines the trajectory of tech law by identifying key regulatory trends and examining the legal frictions they are likely to generate. Rather than offering a purely descriptive account, the analysis is structured around potential areas of dispute and grounded through select case studies to illuminate real-world implications. 

In the year 2022, the CCI had passed detailed orders related to antitrust issues in platform markets. Certain key trends emerge which show the CCI’s approach while adjudicating issues pertaining to digital/ platform markets.