Lok Sabha Question No. 3805 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-16
Subject: Duopoly Dominance and Anti-Competitive Practices in Key Sectors
Ministry: CORPORATE AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Manish Tewari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3805

ANSWERED ON MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2025/ PHALGUNA 25, 1947 (SAKA)

DUOPOLY DOMINANCE AND ANTI-COMPETITIVE PRACTICES IN KEY SECTORS QUESTION

3805. Shri Manish Tewari :

Will the Minister of CORPORATE AFFAIRS

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of the increasing concentration of market share in key sectors such as aviation, digital payments, food delivery and e-commerce, where two dominant players control a substantial portion of the market, if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  any  assessment  has  been  carried  out  by  the  Government  or  the Competition Commission of India (CCI) regarding the impact of such duopolistic structures on competition, consumer choice, pricing and innovation, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether Government has taken cognisance of recent incidents in the aviation sector, including the IndiGo disruptions and allegations of abuse of dominant position, if so, the action taken thereon;
- (d)  the  details  of  investigations  or  inquiries  initiated  by  the  CCI  into  anticompetitive practices or abuse of dominance in such sectors during the last three years; and
- (e) the steps taken or proposed to strengthen competition enforcement, prevent excessive market concentration and safeguard consumer interests?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS.

(SHRI HARSH MALHOTRA)

(a): The Competition Commission of India (CCI) was established by the  Competition Act,  2002  (Act)  to  prevent  practices  having  adverse  effect  on  competition,  to promote and sustain competition in markets, to protect the interests of consumers and to ensure freedom of trade carried on by other participants in markets, in India, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Upon receipt of Information(s) or Reference(s) alleging anti-competitive practices or  abuse of  dominant position in contravention of the provisions of the Act, the

Commission examines the matter and, where a prima facie case is found to exist, orders an investigation by the Director General. Under Section 4 (i.e. abuse of dominant position) of the Act, in Kartikeya Rawal vs. InterGlobe Aviation Limited, Case No. 44 of 2025, the Commission vide order dated 04.02.2026, directed the Director General to conduct an investigation under Section 26(1) of the Act. (b):  Ministry  of  Corporate  Affairs  and  CCI  have  not  conducted  such  a  specific assessment. However, CCI conducts market studies from time to time to develop a better understanding of competitive conditions across sectors. (c) & (d): The Competition Commission of India has ordered an investigation against InterGlobe Aviation Limited (IndiGo) based on information received for alleged abuse of dominance by IndiGo. Further, as per information received from Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), during the operational disruptions in India in early December 2025, to protect passenger interests,  MoCA  imposed  a  temporary  cap  on  airfares  to  prevent  overcharging following flight cancellations and demand surge, which resulted in moderation of fares on affected routes. Airlines were directed to strictly adhere to revised fare structures,  process  refunds  for  cancelled  or  severely  delayed  flights  within stipulated timelines, and allow rescheduling without any additional charges. A four-member  committee  was  constituted by DGCA  to  investigate the disruptions.  Subsequently,  enforcement  action  was  taken  against  M/s  IndiGo, including  a  penalty  of  Rs  22.2  crore  and  a  10%  reduction  in  the  approved  flight network, with the freed-up flights redistributed to other operators. (e): The Competition (Amendment) Act, 2023 introduced a number of reforms to the Competition Act, 2002 with the objective of strengthening competition enforcement and  addressing  emerging  market  realities,  including  those  arising  in  digital  and technology-driven sectors. In order to strengthen the competition enforcement, the amendments, inter alia, broaden the scope of anti-competitive agreements, introducing a ₹2,000 crore Deal Value  Threshold  along  with  the  Substantial  Business  Operations  in  India  (SBOI) criterion to capture high-value digital market transactions that previously were not within  the  purview  and  'global'  turnover  based  proportional  penalties  etc.  The amendment also broadens the scope of Section 3, which governs anti-competitive agreements, by enabling the inclusion of 'any other' categories of agreement within its ambit. As  per  Competition  Act,  2002,  the  Commission  may,  inter  alia,  where  a contravention  is  established,  pass  appropriate  orders  under  Section  27  of  the Competition Act, 2002, including directions to cease-and-desist such conduct and the imposition of monetary penalties.

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