Google’s Loses Its India Policy Head After Only 5 Months

Google’s head of public policy for India has resigned just five months after taking the job, two sources told Reuters, at a potentially critical time for the US tech giant as it awaits the outcome of at least two antitrust cases in the country.

Archana Gulati, an economics graduate who previously served as Joint Secretary at the federal government-affiliated think-tank NITI Aayog, declined to comment. Gulati has also been a high-level participant at the Competition Commission of India and advised the Commission on competition issues arising from mergers and acquisitions.

A spokesperson for Alphabet Inc’s Google also declined to comment. Google is facing a series of antitrust cases in India and stricter tech-sector regulations.

Read More: Google In Indian Authority’s Crosshairs, Again

India’s competition watchdog is looking into Google’s business conduct in the smart TVs market, its Android operating system, as well as its in-app payments system. The company has been asked by the Indian government and central bank to introduce more stringent checks to help curb the use of illegal digital lending applications in India, according to sources.

The watchdog is close to announcing its decision in at least two antitrust cases against Google, people familiar with the process said.

At Google, Gulati led a team of public policy executives who looked at various regulatory implications for the company in India, one of its key growth markets.

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