Following a meeting with Ashwini Vaishnaw, the minister of IT, at which affected startups were also in attendance, Google released a statement.
Google announced on Tuesday that it will temporarily restore all Indian apps that it had taken down from its Play Store, along with their payment systems. This decision signals a temporary thaw in the conflict between the company and the nation’s startups.
The company has not stated when it will pursue payment for the service fee these apps owe, but it will continue to issue invoices for that amount.
Following a meeting with Ashwini Vaishnaw, the minister of IT, at which affected startups were also in attendance, Google released a statement. As of Friday, March 1, 2024, Google has consented to relist the apps with the same status. Google and the Indian startup scene will collaborate to create a long-term solution that complies with India’s legal requirements for all challenges.
According to a Google representative, the business will bill the full applicable service price in the interim. “We are temporarily reinstating the developers’ apps while their appeals are pending in the Supreme Court,” the spokesman stated.
Google continues to be entitled to apply and uphold the terms of its business model, as determined by multiple courts. In the meantime, we will bill our entire applicable service fee. It is understood that affected apps must submit an updated version to Google for inspection, after which they will be restored. A few days could pass during the process.
Due to alleged billing policy violations, Google removed hundreds of apps from well-known Indian developers last week. Essentially, these apps did not implement a payment system that would have divided Google’s commission each time an in-app purchase was made. Notable Indian developers include Naukri, Shaadi.com, and 99Acres. A few applications were previously relisted; however, they lacked a payment mechanism.