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Indian app industry cheers South Korea move to rein in Apple and Google

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The South Korean Parliament on Tuesday passed a Bill that is expected to rein in the control that Apple and Google have over payment systems in their app stores. The legislation is now awaiting the signature of the President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in.

This Bill is the first major legislation in the world to specifically target in-app markets and payment systems, even as market giants Apple and Google are facing global criticism for mandating the in-app use of their proprietary payment systems, and charging commissions of up to 30 per cent on the sale of apps and subscriptions through the app stores. Developers across the world have questioned these moves, and have demanded freedom to choose alternative methods of payment and distribution, such as via third-party app stores installed on the iOS or Android operating systems.

On Tuesday, South Korean legislators voted to approve amendments to their Telecommunications Business Act, with the intent of promoting fair competition in the app market industry. The bill prohibits app market business operators from taking advantage of their dominant status to force developers to use a specific payment system. It also prohibits app store service providers from engaging in activities such as preventing apps from registering on their stores, inappropriately delaying app registration and unfairly deleting apps from the app market. The move would also enable app developers to avoid the hefty commissions, and thus reduce costs both for developers and end-consumers.

In addition, the bill also empowers South Korea’s Minister of Science/ICT and the Korea Communications Commission to conduct an inquiry into the operations of the app market, to help the government more actively identify app-market related disputes and prevent acts that hinder fair competition and consumer interests.

This move comes as regulators worldwide have turned their attention to app stores and the fees they are charging developers. In the US, three senators introduced a bipartisan Bill earlier in August to promote fair competition by regulating in-app purchases and forcing dominant players from excluding third-party app stores from their operating systems. In India, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has been investigating Google for potential abuses of its dominant position in the market to promote its proprietary payment services.

Apple and Google have both publicly opposed attempts to regulate their business practices through legislation.

Meanwhile, several industry players have reacted positively to the developments in South Korea. Rakesh Deshmukh, Co-founder & CEO of Indus App Bazaar, India’s largest third-party app store, shared his support for the move. He said that “policy needs to support innovation. We hope that Google enhances developer choice by allowing the listing of app distribution platforms like Indus App Bazaar on the Play Store. That would help us to formulate a B2C journey. I hope that App Stores like ourselves are allowed a fair play environment on Google Play and Android. Furthermore, in India, we need to look into developer choice for app distribution & payment gateways from a policy perspective.”

Sijo Kuruvilla, Executive Director of the Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF), a startup alliance, welcomed the move by tweeting “Any legislation on the matter anywhere in the world will set a precedent for other nations to adopt and build on. To fair markets.”

Commenting on the developments from the US, the Coalition for App Fairness (CAF), an industry association of apps, reacted positively, terming it a momentous step forward, with Meghan DiMuzio, the Executive Director of CAF saying, “South Korean lawmakers and President Moon Jae-in have made history and are setting an example for the rest of the world. This law will hold app store gatekeepers accountable for their harmful and anti-competitive practices. The Coalition for App Fairness hopes U.S. and European lawmakers follow South Korea’s lead and continue their important work to level the playing field for all app developers and users.”

Match Group, that operates the largest portfolio of dating and social discovery apps such as Tinder and OKCupid, thanked South Korean Legislators in a statement, also saying that the legislation “… marks a monumental step in the fight for a fair app ecosystem…” and “…will put an end to mandatory IAP in South Korea, which will allow innovation, consumer choice, and competition to thrive in this market…” The statement adds, “We look forward to the bill being quickly signed into law and implore legislative bodies around the globe to take similar measures to protect their citizens and businesses from monopolistic gatekeepers that are restricting the Internet.”

Meanwhile, many Indian players have also noted these developments with interest, more so in context of opposition to Google’s “app tax” on in-app purchases and its impacts on local players.

NFN Labs, developers of popular apps like Screeny and Vookmark, who have had their share of run-ins with Google, Twitter, and Apple, have also been welcoming of alternative stores and choices of payment gateways.

Rajesh Padmanabhan, cofounder, NFN Labs in a statement said, “For our IoT product, Vookmark launching on Indus App bazaar has boosted our growth with a new set of engaged users…Additionally, we are exploring the ability to distribute and collect payments through alternative channels for our browser extensions, Android, and iOS packages. An alternative distribution that allows free uploads like Indus App Bazaar & lower commissions will certainly help to redirect funds for R&D and help us grow faster.”

The implications of the move in the Indian market remain to be seen, but Rakesh Deshmukh of Indus App Bazaar feels there is more that can be done with app distribution in India, “It’s about the choice of distribution; we all know that Google Play Store and App Store will continue to exist but we need more competition. We believe that choice is central to competition and hence when developers choose to distribute via our infrastructure, we allow a choice of payment gateway. This choice we believe would allow developers leverage to negotiate a reasonable fee with the two companies and payment gateway providers.”

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World Bank flags rising poverty levels in Pakistan

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New Delhi, Oct 8: The World Bank has expressed serious concern over Pakistan’s economy as the country has failed to reduce poverty despite massive loans injected by the IMF.

The current model of growth has failed to ameliorate the conditions of the poor, and the headcount ratio (HCR) has surged to its highest level of 25.3 per cent in the last eight years, which is a 7 per cent increase in HCR since 2023, the World Bank report states.

Instead of concentrating on rural development to reduce poverty, the Pakistan government has been focused more on increasing defence expenditure.

The World Bank report titled “Reclaiming Momentum Towards Prosperity: Pakistan’s Poverty, Equity and Resilience Assessment” released on September 23, mentions that even the country’s aspiring middle class (constituting 42.7 per cent of its population) is “struggling to achieve full economic security”.

Pakistan’s once-promising poverty reduction trajectory has come to a troubling halt, reversing years of hard-fought gains.

After dramatically reducing poverty from 64.3 per cent in 2001 to 21.9 per cent in 2018 — declining by 3 percentage points annually until 2015 before slowing to less than 1 percentage point per year — recent compounding shocks have pushed poverty rates back up to a projected 25.3 per cent by 2023-24, the report states.

The economic model that delivered early wins has reached its limits, with 14 per cent of the population in 2018 remaining vulnerable to falling back into poverty when faced with shocks.

Compounding crises — Covid-19, economic instability, devastating floods, and record-high inflation—have further exposed systemic weaknesses, leaving many in low-productivity activities and unable to cope with these challenges, the report points out.

Bold policy reforms are now essential to address structural imbalances, prevent sliding back into poverty during shocks, and tackle the persistent challenges in remote areas. In this context, this Poverty, Equity, and Resilience Assessment , the first since the early 2000s, looks at how poverty has evolved in Pakistan by combining traditional and non-traditional data, offering detailed analysis and strategic direction on the country’s efforts and challenges to reduce poverty and promote equity.

This comprehensive assessment aims to provide a roadmap for policymakers and stakeholders to address poverty and equity challenges in Pakistan effectively, the report added.

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Securing India’s cyberspace a shared responsibility: Centre

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New Delhi, Oct 8: As cybersecurity incidents doubled in 2 years from 10.29 lakh in 2022 to 22.68 lakh in 2024, the Centre said on Wednesday that securing India’s cyberspace is a shared responsibility where the government and citizens must work together to combat cyber fraud.

Over 1,05,796 police officers are now registered on the CyTrain portal, with more than 82,704 certificates issued, equipping frontline personnel with essential cybercrime investigation skills, according to an official statement.

With financial support of Rs 132.93 crore from the Centre, cyber forensic-cum-training laboratories have trained over 24,600 personnel in cybercrime investigation, digital forensics, and preventive measures.

Further, as of March 2025, CERT-In facilitated 109 cybersecurity mock drills, engaging 1,438 organisations from different states and sectors to assess cyber readiness and build resilience, the government said

India’s digital expansion has connected over 86 per cent of households to the internet, increasing the risk of cyber fraud. Advanced forensics, big data analytics, and indigenous tools have bolstered national cyber resilience, the release said.

As India celebrates its rapid 5G rollout, with 1.2 billion mobile subscribers and 970 million internet users, the focus on secure, inclusive, and scalable digital ecosystems reinforces the country’s position as a global hub for trusted and transformative digital infrastructure, the release said.

The government cited evolving threats, including spoofing, phishing, and AI-driven deepfakes, where individuals are lured into revealing sensitive information through deceptive emails or messages, which are also on the rise.

As UPI was targeted using compromised mobile numbers, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) launched the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI), which classified suspicious numbers as medium, high, or very high risk.

India’s legal framework includes the Information Technology Act and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, along with operational platforms like CERT-In, NCIIPC, Samanvaya, and the Sahyog portal to combat the rise of cybersecurity threats, the release said.

Further, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal has been launched to enable citizens to report complaints relating to various categories of cybercrime, with a special focus on offences targeting women and children. A dedicated cybercrime helpline number, 1930, provides immediate assistance to victims of online financial fraud, the release noted.

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DGCA fines IndiGo Rs 20 lakh for lapses in pilot training

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New Delhi, Oct 8: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed a fine of Rs 20 lakh on IndiGo for alleged lapses in pilot training at Category C aerodromes, airline’s parent company, InterGlobe Aviation, informed the stock exchanges on Wednesday.

According to the company’s filing, IndiGo received the communication from the aviation regulator on September 26.

The DGCA said the violation was related to the airline’s failure to use qualified simulators for pilot training, which is mandatory under aviation safety rules.

“Details of violation(s)/contravention(s) committed or alleged to be committed: Alleged failure to use qualified simulators for pilot training at Category C Aerodromes,” the company said in its filing.

In its response, IndiGo said it is contesting the DGCA order before the appellate authority.

The airline added that the penalty will not have any material impact on its finances, operations, or business activities.

“The Company is in the process of contesting this Order before the appropriate appellate authority,” the airline said.

“There is no material impact on financials, operations or other activities of the Company,” the airline added.

The company also explained the delay in disclosure, stating that it was unintentional and happened because of a lag in internal communication regarding the details of the order.

“The delay in disclosure was unintentional and was caused due to a delay in internal communication of details pertaining to the order,” the low-cost carrier mentioned.

The shares of IndiGo closed the intra-day trading session at Rs 5,630.50, down by Rs 33.50 or 0.59 per cent apiece on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).

Meanwhile, earlier this year, a Delhi-bound IndiGo aircraft carrying more than 150 passengers, including Samajwadi Party leader and Lok Sabha member Dimple Yadav, had aborted take-off at Lucknow airport after a technical issue was detected.

According to the official statement, the incident took place on IndiGo flight 6E2111, which was scheduled to depart from Lucknow to Delhi.

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