Apple tells India antitrust watchdog it “copy-pasted” rivals’ claims, as dispute escalates

Apple has accused India’s antitrust watchdog of effectively “copy-pasting” claims submitted by competitors, according to regulatory papers reviewed by Reuters and reported by Yahoo Finance on Monday.

The latest escalation comes as Apple and its rivals continue a long-running fight with India’s competition authorities over how the iPhone maker operates its platform. In the cited regulatory filings, Apple argued that the regulator failed to conduct its own independent assessment when it moved forward on the allegations, according to the report.

The dispute centers on competition issues tied to Apple’s control of key parts of the iPhone experience, including how apps are discovered and how payments and subscriptions are handled. Apple’s position, as characterized in the Reuters-reviewed materials, has been that rivals’ allegations are not being handled fairly in the process.

Apple’s criticism, if upheld, would add another layer to a case that has already become emblematic of global regulators’ scrutiny of “gatekeeper” platform power. Antitrust proceedings often turn on whether a regulator’s findings are grounded in independently verified evidence rather than relying on third-party complaints.

For Apple, these challenges matter not only for the outcome of the specific India case, but also for the precedent it could set for other markets. Apple has argued in past regulatory contexts that its platform policies are necessary for security, privacy, and a consistent user experience. It has also maintained that many restrictions are implemented to manage risk and prevent fraud.

In sector terms, the Apple dispute highlights a continuing shift in how competition authorities evaluate digital markets. Regulators are increasingly focused on whether platform rules function like leverage points that competitors cannot replicate, and whether users can easily switch or negotiate across ecosystems.

Still, key details of what Apple asked the regulator to change were not included in the Yahoo Finance post beyond the “copy-pasted” characterization and the claim that the watchdog did not conduct the expected assessment. The report also does not provide the regulator’s response, the procedural next steps, or any quantified timetable for decisions, leaving the immediate impact unclear.

What to watch next is whether India’s antitrust authority responds to Apple’s procedural complaint, and whether the case advances to further hearings or a formal ruling. If the watchdog addresses Apple’s objections, the public record could indicate how strictly regulators plan to separate competitor allegations from their own evidence review.