Centre holds talks; Google to restore removed apps on Play Store

New Delhi: Following a meeting by Google officials with Union IT minister Ashwini Kumar Vaishnaw, the tech giant has started the process of restoring the Indian apps it has removed from the Google Play Store, NDTV reported, citing sources.

Google removed apps belonging to 10 companies in India, one of its fastest-growing markets, leading to controversy on Friday. This came after two court decisions in January and February that denied relief to startups, allowing Google to enforce the fee or remove the apps. In India, 94 per cent of mobile phone users are using the Android platform, which Google owns. The list of apps removed by Google includes renowned ones like Bharatmatrimony and Naukri.

The removal of apps was based on a dispute in which Google demanded fees ranging from 11% to 26% on in-app payments from the app's Play Store hosts. Indian startups have protested this, calling it an unfair practice by Google.

Matrimony.com, which found Bharat Matrimony, Christian Matrimony, Muslim Matrimony, and Jodii, said that Friday was a dark day for India's internet after all the said apps were removed by Google.

Earlier on Friday, the IT minister Vaishnaw said that the Indian startup ecosystem must be protected, and the Centre is trying to convey this to Google.

He said that India has a very big and vibrant startup ecosystem, and all the steps necessary should be taken to protect it. He said that Google had been a good adopter of Indian technologies, and he is hopeful that the tech giant would be reasonable in its approach, he told NDTV before his meeting with Google representatives.