Taking a strong view of Google’s action to delist some Indian apps from its Play Store, the Centre said the move cannot be permitted, adding that tech company and the startups concerned have been called for a meeting next week.
Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the startup ecosystem is key to the Indian economy and their fate cannot be left to any big tech to decide.
The minister’s comments assume significance as Google on Friday began removing some apps, including popular matrimony apps, from its Play Store in India over a dispute on service fee payments, even as apps and well-known startup founders cried foul.
“India is very clear, our policy is very clear…our startups will get the protection that they need.” The minister said the government will be meeting Google and app developers who have been delisted, next week, to resolve the dispute.
The minister said the government will be meeting Google and app developers who have been delisted, next week, to resolve the dispute.
“I have already called Google…I have already called the app developers who have been delisted, we will be meeting them next week. This cannot be permitted..This kind of delisting cannot be permitted,” Vaishnaw asserted.
“I will be telling Google…Our entrepreneurial energy…startups, look at the whole startup India programme, 10 years back we had practically nothing and today we have more than 1,00,000 startups, more than 100 unicorns…this is something…the energy of our youth, the energy of our entrepreneurs, energy of our talented people that has to be channelised fully well, it cannot be left to the policies of any big tech,” Vaishnaw said.
