Google faces pressure to loosen its tight stance over Indian

A pushback from the startup founders in the country over its policies, has made tech giant Google face burns to soften its stance in India

Some startups are already looking at alternative listings for their apps through the android application package (APK) download on their websites. Founders said there are instances like fantasy sports platform Dream11 which has garnered 100 million users without listing on Google Play Store.

Startups are also demanding 'fair' play as Google controls the entire tech stack right from an operating system (Android) to app-distribution through its Play Store. Google is by 95% of Indian digital consumers.

They may also look at creating a non-profit organization to run a possible app store listing Indian apps. However, this is still at an early stage. After being banned on 18 September, Paytm First Games made a comeback on the Google Play Store on Tuesday. While the app is still non-functional, a person familiar with the issue said that Paytm will be adding new games to it shortly.

Google has started meeting various app developers in the country to “understand their concerns more deeply" and will also be hosting “policy workshops" where it will answer developers’ questions about its policies. In a blog post, Google had said Indian startups will get six extra months to comply with its billing policies on the Play Store.

The government, which has been in listening mode so far, has asked startups to send a letter apprising the challenges, which founders are planning to send in by next week. A view will be firmed up after deliberations at various levels, a government official said.

Bipin Preet Singh, founder CEO, MobiKwik, a payment service, which was also temporarily removed from Play Store in May, said the deferment of Play Store billing is hogwash.

"They need to remove the 30% commissions in India and stop forcing technology companies to use only their Play Store billing system. All we ask is for fair play. Today, startups are at the mercy of Google, where they can randomly remove any app from the Play Store," said Murugavel Janakiraman is the founder-CEO of Matrimony.com.

Startups are also asking the Indian government to bring in laws which bring tech giants including Apple, Google and Facebook under the gamut of Indian institutions.

Snehil Khanor, co-founder and CEO, TrulyMadly.com said Facebook and Google are taking India’s capital away from colonisation of the digital economy.