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India wants Google and Apple to allow users to install government-backed app store

India is pushing both Apple and Google to support its own government-backed app store called GOV.in. The move is similar to the European Union, where third-party app stores are allowed on both iOS and Android as a result of the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

The Indian government wants to ensure that Indian users have direct access to a suite of government-approved apps that can provide essential services and information. The move is aimed at improving safety standards and facilitating access to social services for more than 700 million smartphone users in the country.

The GOV.in app store already has a bunch of apps for different government services, such as DigiLocker (an app that issues and verifies all documents, licenses, and certificates online), OCMMS (an app for monitoring the environment in your region), and even a B2B e-commerce app called Lokacart Plus.

The 30% tax charged by both Apple and Google on their respective app stores has also prompted many developers to call for a local app store as a low-cost alternative. In the EU, after the DMA was enacted, both Apple and Google had to allow third-party app stores, such as the AltStore PAL, on their smartphones. In 2021, Apple also complied with Russian regulations to let users install government-suggested apps.

It is worth noting that many of these apps are already available on Apple's App Store and the Google Play Store. However, government officials think that they could better promote their apps and boost usage if they came bundled with the GOV.in app store. The GOV.in is also available as an app store on Android, but users need to perform a lengthy process of sideloading the app, which comes with warnings like "untrusted source."

India has had a history of imposing harsh regulations against Big Tech, including the ban on TikTok back in 2020. The country also demanded Meta, the company behind WhatsApp, access to encrypted messages in some circumstances, which was contested in the court.

Source: Bloomberg

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