India's CCI fined HP India 1.4 billion rupees across two cartel cases involving PCs and printer supplies.
Why it matters: The orders raise compliance risk for vendors selling through India's GeM procurement channel and reseller networks. They also show the CCI is policing conduct across both hardware bids and consumables sales.
- The Competition Commission of India issued two orders against HP India Sales Pvt. Ltd. and resellers.
- HP India was fined INR 126.87 crore in the personal systems case and INR 11.98 crore in the supplies products case.
- The CCI said HP India dictated bid prices to resellers and affected participation in GeM tenders by withholding authorization.
- The supplies-products order said HP India played a central role in a cartel involving 16 Tier-2 resellers tied to toner and cartridges.
India's Competition Commission said HP India Sales Pvt. Ltd. engaged in anti-competitive conduct in two separate matters, one involving personal system products and another involving supplies products such as toner and cartridges. The cases were detailed in CCI notices and government releases on the personal systems matter and the supplies-products matter, and were also reported by Reuters India coverage and Ars Technica.
In the personal systems case, the CCI said HP India used its position to steer bid pricing among resellers and interfere with participation in GeM tenders by withholding authorization. The order names five resellers: Delphi Infosolutions, Digitech Computers, Orbit Techsol, Hind Technocare and Krishna Computers. The commission said the conduct violated Sections 3(3)(d) and 3(1) of the Competition Act, 2002. CCI press release on personal system products
In the supplies-products case, the regulator said HP India played a central role in a cartel among 16 Tier-2 resellers involving toner, cartridges and other consumables used with print hardware products. The detailed order identifies the matter as Suo Moto Case No. 08 of 2020. CCI press release on supplies products Order text via Indian Kanoon
Together, the two HP India penalties total INR 138.85 crore, or about 1.4 billion rupees. The CCI also imposed penalties on the named resellers in both matters.
By the numbers
- INR 126.87 crore - penalty in the personal systems case
- INR 11.98 crore - penalty in the supplies products case
- 16 - Tier-2 resellers named in the supplies-products cartel
Yes, but: The combined penalty rounds to 1.4 billion rupees, but the exact total is INR 138.85 crore.