Google loses bid to block Indian Android antitrust ruling in major setback

A security guard stands outside the Competition Commission of India (CCI) headquarters in New Delhi, India, January 13, 2020. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Google on Thursday lost its fight in India's Supreme Court to block an antitrust order, in a major setback that will force the U.S. tech giant to change the business model of its popular Android operating system in a key growth market.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) ruled in October that Google, which is owned by Alphabet Inc, exploited its dominant position in Android and told it to remove restrictions imposed on device makers, including related to pre-installation of apps. It also fined Google $161 million.