The Competition Commission of India (CCI) told the Delhi High Court that calculating antitrust fines based on a company’s global turnover is essential to prevent multinational corporations from treating penalties as a "nominal" cost of doing business.
The filing, seen by Reuters on January 8, marks the regulator's first detailed defense of the controversial 2024 law.
The legal standoff began in November 2025, when Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) petitioned the court to strike down the provision.
Apple argued that the law—modeled after European Union standards—could lead to "grossly disproportionate" fines for conduct localized within India.
The iPhone maker estimates its maximum penalty exposure could reach approximately $38 billion if the global metric is applied to an ongoing probe into its App Store practices.
In its December 15 filing, the CCI pushed back against Apple’s claims of overreach.
The regulator argued that relying solely on India-specific revenue fails to provide a real deterrent, particularly for digital firms that operate across borders with interconnected product ecosystems.
The watchdog also addressed Apple's accusation of "retrospective" application.
The CCI maintained that the 2024 guidelines merely clarify existing powers to define "turnover" and align Indian law with established international practices.
While Apple fears a multibillion-dollar hit, the CCI accused the company of "misguiding" the court, noting it has thus far only requested Apple's India-specific financial details as part of its procedural inquiries.
The outcome of the case is expected to set a precedent for other global firms facing Indian antitrust scrutiny, including Amazon, Google, and Pernod Ricard.
The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear the lawsuit on January 27, 2026.