By Aditya Kalra

NEW DELHI, March 12 (Reuters) - Apple ( AAPL ) has successfully

blocked its opponents in India, Tinder-owner Match and

a group of startups, from accessing its commercially sensitive

information which was part of antitrust findings against the

U.S. firm, a confidential order shows.

An investigation by the Competition Commission of India

(CCI) last year found Apple ( AAPL ) exploited its dominant position in

the market for app stores on its iOS operating system to the

detriment of app developers, users and other payment processors.

Apple ( AAPL ) has denied wrongdoing and said it is a small player in

India where phones using Google's operating system are dominant.

The investigation process has concluded but CCI's senior

members are yet to review the findings and pass a final ruling,

which could force Apple ( AAPL ) to pay fines and even change its

practices if the company is confirmed to have indulged in

wrongdoing.

Apple's ( AAPL ) opposing parties in the case - Match and startup

group Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) - asked the

CCI to allow access to certain confidential information which

include developer payouts and details of total billings, but

were redacted when investigation reports were shared with

parties.

Match argued Apple ( AAPL ) had been "claiming excessive and

unwarranted redactions in its submissions" across the world "to

hinder effective scrutiny of its practices", but the CCI did not

agree and ruled in favour of Apple ( AAPL ), according to a 13-page

confidential order issued on March 3 and seen by Reuters.

The order noted Apple's ( AAPL ) comments, saying "the very fact that

Match is involved in similar antitrust proceedings" with the

company elsewhere will cause Apple ( AAPL ) harm if its commercially

sensitive information is provided to Match.

"The Commission notes that disclosure of such redacted

information at this stage to ADIF and Match is neither necessary

nor expedient ... and disclosure of the same could potentially

cause harm to the interests of Apple ( AAPL ) and other third parties,"

the CCI noted.

The CCI, Apple ( AAPL ), Match and ADIF did not respond to Reuters

queries.

The Indian case was first filed by a little-known,

non-profit group called "Together We Fight Society" which argued

Apple's ( AAPL ) in-app fee of up to 30% hurts competition by raising

costs for app developers and customers.

Apple's ( AAPL ) iOS powered about 4% of 712 million smartphones in

India as of 2024 end, with the rest using Google's Android,

according to Counterpoint Research. Apple's ( AAPL ) smartphone base in

the country has grown five times in the last five years.

Apple ( AAPL ) can still oppose findings of the CCI investigation and

watchdog's senior members are expected to issue a final ruling

in coming weeks.

In 2022, the CCI imposed a

$113 million fine

on Google and said it must allow the use of third-party

billing and stop forcing developers to use its in-app payment

system that charges commission of 15%-30%. Google has denied

wrongdoing.