• The Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) is an association / think tank for India’s digital start-ups formed by some of the large Indian internet companies including Bharat Matrimony, PayTM, SHEROES etc.

• Coalition for App Fairness (CAF) is an independent global non-profit organization formed to protect consumer choice, foster competition, and create a level playing field for all app and game developers worldwide. Some its members include Spotify and Blockchain.com

• ADIF and CAF have been leading the challenge against the duopoly of Google and Apple in India and the US respectively, and this partnership will see the two collaborate to create joint advocacy positions and amplify events, content, and efforts.

Mumbai : The Alliance of Digital India Foundation and the Coalition for App Fairness announced a partnership to jointly work towards a free and fair app marketplace for all developers.

The partnership comes on the heels of the Global Conference on Mobile App Ecosystem Fairness held in South Korea where the discussion centered around the need for regulating the application ecosystem. There has been a global uproar against the anti-competitive app store policies of both Apple and Google, which include a steep gatekeeper tax on all digital goods. Both the players have been going to great lengths to solidify their already dominant position in markets the world over.

In response, organisations have been coming together globally to fend off their abusive practices and to create a fair environment for all developers. South Korea’s new law to bring competition to the digital marketplace has been a landmark step in this direction and has highlighted the critical need for similar legislations in India and other regions to pave the way for a fair app marketplace so developers can innovate and grow.

It’s this urgent need for collaborative work that saw ADIF and CAF joining together to amplify efforts towards a fair app ecosystem.

“We are partnering with a group of leaders to support the efforts towards creating a free and fair digital ecosystem, one which is not owned and controlled by just one or two large players,” said Sijo Kuruvilla George, Executive Director of the Alliance of Digital India Foundation. “No developer should be forced to operate in an anti-competitive marketplace that hinders innovation, success, and the ability to grow.”

“With this partnership, the global momentum to fight anti-competitive practices in the app marketplace continues to build,” said Meghan DiMuzio, Executive Director of the Coalition for App Fairness. “Our alliance will ensure developers who have been prevented from competing in a fair marketplace stand united, working together to advocate for solutions around the world.”