Reuters claimed that Google has begun removing apps from ten Indian companies, including well-known matrimonial apps such as Bharat matrimonial, due to an ongoing disagreement over service fee payments.
The decision comes as Indian startups continue to speak out against Google’s practices, particularly its in-app fee levies, which have been a source of friction for years.
Murugavel Janakiraman, the founder of Matrimony.com, expressed his concern, saying, “It’s a ‘dark day’ for India’s internet.” Our applications are being deleted one by one. It means that all of the top matrimonial services would be removed. Matrimonial apps, such as Bharat Matrimony, have grown in popularity in India, with over 50 million downloads to date.
The controversy centers on efforts by Indian entrepreneurs to prevent Google’s imposition of a fee ranging from 11% to 26% on in-app payments, following antitrust authorities’ orders to dismantle an earlier system charging 15% to 30%. Despite court decisions in January and February favoring Google’s right to enforce the fee or remove apps, discussions between the tech giant and affected companies continue.
