This kind of delisting cannot be permitted: Ashwini Vaishnaw summons Google for meeting

Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that the Indian government has taken strong exception to Google delisting some Indian apps from its Play Store.

Vaishnaw told PTI news agency that Google's action should not be permitted and that the tech company and the startups concerned have been called for a meeting next week to resolve the dispute.

Many tech entrepreneurs had voiced concerns after the US tech giant removed 10 apps for not paying platform fees.

“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.

“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 said.

Stating that India has built a strong startup ecosystem of over one lakh startups, and more than 100 unicorns from scratch in a matter of 10 years, the minister said the energy of youth and entrepreneurs must be channelised fully and “cannot be left to the policies of any big tech.” “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.

Among the prominent Indian apps that have been dropped from the Play Store are Naukri, 99acres, Naukri Recruiter, Naukrigulf Job Search App, 99acres, and Shiksha.

Also read | Google removes Naukri and 99acres apps from play store over billing policy violations