Xiaomi, the Chinese smartphone giant, has requested India’s antitrust regulator, the Competition Commission of India (CCI), to withdraw a report that found the company and Walmart-owned Flipkart in violation of competition laws. As reported by Reuters, based on insiders' input, Xiaomi argues that the report contains sensitive commercial information that should have been redacted.
The CCI's investigation, which started in 2021, could face delays if the report is recalled. The watchdog recently withdrew a similar report on Apple following concerns about the disclosure of trade secrets. Xiaomi's appeal is centred on the claim that specific data, such as model-wise sales figures, were included in the Flipkart report without proper redaction.
While the CCI’s reports are not publicly available, they are shared with the involved parties, as per Reuters.
What Will Happen If CCI Report Is Recalled?
A recall would mean these parties must return the report for further revisions to ensure the protection of confidential business data. So far, Xiaomi, Flipkart, and the CCI have not responded to media inquiries.
Earlier this month, the CCI's reports on Flipkart and Amazon alleged that the e-commerce giants favoured select sellers and partnered with smartphone brands like Xiaomi to launch exclusive products on their platforms, potentially violating antitrust regulations. Xiaomi’s current objection, however, pertains only to the data in the Flipkart report, not the one involving Amazon.
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Xiaomi is pushing for the watchdog to reissue the report after redacting sensitive information, similar to what was done in the case of Apple. The CCI’s Flipkart report also named companies like Samsung, Motorola, Vivo, and Realme for engaging in exclusive product launches, which the commission found to be anti-competitive.