Continued synergy between financial accountability and market fairness will remain the cornerstone of India’s economic resilience and nation-building: Shri K Sanjay Murthy

Growing complexity of markets driven by technological changes, regulators need to adapt, grow and evolve over time: CCI Chairperson, Smt. Ravneet Kaur

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Shri K Sanjay Murthy addressed the 17th Annual Day commemoration of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) as Chief Guest in New Delhi. The occasion also saw the release of CCI’s “Advocacy Booklet 2026” in English and Hindi by the Chief Guest.

In his address, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India congratulated the CCI on the successful completion of 17 years of its functioning and observed that competition has become increasingly central to India’s economic future, underpinning growth, innovation, investment and consumer welfare.

He noted that India is at a critical juncture marked by scale, speed and structural transformation across sectors such as fintech, logistics, green energy, e-commerce and digital public infrastructure. In this evolving landscape, competition extends beyond pricing to issues of data access, interoperability and innovation.

Shri Murthy emphasized that in the digital age, market power is often derived from control over data and ecosystems rather than traditional scale of production, underscoring the importance of competition law as a core element of economic governance. Highlighting the role of competitive markets in driving efficiency, the Chief Guest commended the CCI for its role since 2009 in addressing cartelization and abuse of dominance, and fostering a culture of competition. This is a testament to the importance of specialised regulatory oversight in ensuring that public and private resources are utilised optimally in markets free from distortions, he added. 

Noting that practices such as bid-rigging impose significant costs on public resources, Shri Murthy highlighted competition enforcement and audit as two complementary regulatory instruments in ensuring government marketplaces remain competitive. Referring to the past occasions when CCI relied on the CAG reports as a source for identifying ‘red flags’ in public procurement, he highlighted the synergies between the two regulatory bodies.

In the context of the expanding digital footprint of public procurement systems, he noted that the use of advanced analytics and artificial intelligence can significantly enhance detection of anti-competitive conduct and improve regulatory outcomes. Shri Murthy also highlighted ongoing efforts to build institutional capacity and strengthening of public procurement systems. Going forward, the continued synergy between financial accountability and market fairness will remain the cornerstone of India’s economic resilience and nation-building, he said.  

In her welcome address, Smt. Ravneet Kaur, Chairperson, CCI, reflected upon Competition Commission of India’s journey, noting the transition from the erstwhile Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) Act regime, characterised by a command-and-control approach, to a trust-based competition framework. She referred to the several landmark judicial pronouncements that have shaped the Commission’s enforcement framework over the years.

Chairperson, CCI apprised of the important initiatives undertaken by the Commission in the last financial year. The Cost of Production Regulations were revised for the first time since 2009, to align it with evolving market realities, jurisprudence, and international best practices. Following the amendments to the Competition Act and the subsequent notification of Regulations, the Commission approved its first settlement in a major digital markets case, demonstrating faster resolution of competition concerns. The green channel mechanism for combinations continued to gain traction, now accounting for over 20% of total filings, she said. She further mentioned that the CCI has consistently adhered to the stricter timelines for combinations introduced in September 2024.

Referring to the growing complexity of markets driven by technological changes, Chairperson, CCI highlighted the need for regulators to adapt, grow and evolve over time. The change in scale and speed by the addition of Artificial Intelligence (AI) layer to digital markets and growing importance of AI in every field, prompted the Commission to undertake a Market Study on AI and Competition, she mentioned.

The Study brought out that while adoption of AI enhances efficiency, innovation, and consumer experience, it also raises potential concerns regarding market concentration, ecosystem lock-in, self-preferencing, and algorithmic collusion. The opacity of AI systems presents additional enforcement challenges, making it difficult to detect anti-competitive conduct, she said. The study provided a guidance note for self-audit of AI by enterprises at different stages of development, deployment and monitoring of AI tools and applications to ensure compliance with competition norms.

In view of the recent legislative and regulatory changes, the Chairperson said that CCI’s Advocacy Booklet 2026 has been prepared, with a focus on promoting compliance and awareness among stakeholders. Recognizing the increasing complexity of competition enforcement, the Chairperson emphasized the need for capacity building within the CCI. Beyond legal and economic expertise, there is a growing requirement for specialists in data science, and forensic analysis to effectively address emerging challenges in digital markets, she added. She concluded by saying that as the CCI enters its 18th year, it is committed to remain firm in enforcement, fair in procedures, and forward-looking in its vision.

Smt. Sweta Kakkad, Member, CCI, proposed the Vote of Thanks. The event was attended by a large number of dignitaries from the government, regulatory bodies, PSUs, industry, academia, chambers of commerce, and the legal fraternity.

Competition enforcement in digital markets increasingly hinges on data control, AI risks, and stronger procurement oversight. Competition enforcement is described as a core element of economic governance, especially in digital and technology-driven markets where market power may arise from control over data and ecosystems. The material highlights cartelization, abuse of dominance, bid-rigging and public procurement scrutiny as key concerns, and stresses the complementary role of competition enforcement and audit. It also notes recent institutional and regulatory measures by the Competition Commission of India, including revised regulations, settlement and combination procedures, and a market study on artificial intelligence and competition.