Intel Corporation has been fined Rs. 27.38 crore by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for enforcing what the regulator called an unfair and discriminatory warranty regime on boxed desktop processors sold in India.
The order, issued on February 12, 2026, concludes that Intel abused its dominant market position by refusing to honor warranties for processors purchased from its authorised distributors outside India. Customers were instead told to claim service in the original country of purchase.
The case began after a complaint from Matrix Info Systems Private Limited, which argued that Intel’s April 2016 amendment effectively restricted parallel imports and reduced consumer choice.
After investigation, the CCI ruled that Intel holds dominance in the Indian market for boxed microprocessors for desktops. The watchdog found that similar geographical restrictions were not imposed in several other international markets, making the India-only limitation discriminatory.
According to the Commission, the policy harmed both consumers and legitimate parallel importers and resulted in an appreciable adverse effect on competition.
While the penalty was calculated at 8% of Intel’s average relevant turnover, the regulator reduced the final amount, noting that the company withdrew the policy effective April 1, 2024.
CCI has also instructed Intel to widely publicise the withdrawal and submit a compliance report.
The ruling adds to Intel’s mounting challenges in India at a time when competitive pressure in processors continues to intensify.
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