An Indian court has dismissed a petition by Asian Paints seeking to halt an antitrust investigation into allegations that the country’s largest paint manufacturer abused its market dominance, according to six people familiar with the proceedings.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is probing Asian Paints, which controls about 52% of the domestic market, following a complaint by rival Birla Opus. The paints arm of the Aditya Birla Group accused Asian Paints of using discounts and dealer incentives to stifle competition, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Asian Paints challenged the probe in July at the Bombay High Court, claiming CCI officials damaged its reputation by publishing — and later deleting — allegations against its CEO in the investigation order.
On Thursday, the court said it found “no merit” in the company’s plea and dismissed the challenge. A detailed order is expected later. Neither Asian Paints, CCI, nor Birla Opus responded to requests for comment.
India’s booming real estate and infrastructure sectors have made the paints market highly competitive, with an estimated value of $9.5 billion. Since its February 2024 launch, Birla Opus has already gained close to 7% market share, challenging Asian Paints’ long-held dominance.
The CCI’s preliminary findings accused Asian Paints of imposing unfair conditions on dealers, describing the practice as “exploitative conduct.”
