🇮🇳 Roundup: Competition watchdog calls Google app store ‘discriminatory’ (Updated)

Update (March 31, 7:20 p.m. SGT): This story was updated to add news on Flipkart’s investment in its marketplace business.

Startups in India, including Wiz Freight and BridgeUp, have raised at least US$37.3 million in disclosed funding today from international and local investors.

Here’s a snapshot of the fundraising:

Here’s some important tech news from India today:

Competition watchdog calls Google app store ‘discriminatory‘

The Competition Commission of India found that the Google Billing Payment System (GBPS) – the Google Play Store’s payments system – conducted “discriminatory practices” by keeping some of the tech giant’s own apps out of the said system.

In 2020, Google announced it would make the use of GBPS mandatory for apps on Google Play Store that offer digital goods and services. The US-based company also said it would take a 30% cut on all in-app purchases.

A separate report noted that further hearings on the matter are set to begin soon.

Flipkart pours $553m in its marketplace business

The move comes amid the ecommerce giant’s efforts to bolster its grocery and social commerce segments.

The company expanded its grocery business to over 1,000 cities in the past year.

Flipkart had also expanded its ESOP pool, allotting 21,370 equity shares worth about US$4.4 million.

B2B-focused AgroStar buys agritech peer INI Farms

AgroStar said the move would benefit its network of farmers by linking them to more customers worldwide.