India Befriends Big Tech as Trump Tariffs Knock on Door

US government now expects Big Tech to "keep receiving" India's support over the long term

- Shouvik Das

A string of measures in the field of information technology has suddenly pivoted India into a friendlier place for American Big Tech firms to do business—moves that policy stakeholders believe are timely and useful, given US President Donald Trump's impending tariff hikes.

Two people with direct knowledge of the matter said, requesting anonymity, that representatives of the US government have told their Indian counterparts during meetings held in the US over the past 90 days that they expect Big Tech to "keep receiving the Centre's support" in the long run.

On Friday, India's companies law court issued what has been seen as a favourable verdict on Google's appeal against a ₹936.44 crore fine imposed by the competition commission in 2022. The fine—for allegedly stifling innovation and promoting self-preferencing in the market—was slashed by nearly three-fourths.