India plans launch of own app store as alternative to Google, Apple: Report

The government is also reportedly considering a plan to make it mandatory for Android phones to be pre-installed with its apps.

Homegrown app store in the works. (REUTERS)

India is planning to launch its own app store as an alternate to the ones offered by Apple and Alphabet-owned Google, in a bid to make the country more self-reliant, ET Now reported  on Thursday, citing government sources.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government may ramp up its Mobile Seva App Store for this purpose, the television channel reported, without providing further details.

#ETNOWExclusive | #Aatmanirbhar App Store Coming Soon? Sources tell ET NOW that Modi-govt is planning to launch its own App Store as an alternative to #Google & #Apple's app stores! @NayantaraRai with exclusive details!@PMOIndia @rsprasad @_DigitalIndia @GooglePlay @AppStore pic.twitter.com/eYoNVsdcC3

— ET NOW (@ETNOWlive) October 1, 2020

"Android has a 97% market-share in India. So, we should intervene and handhold Indian startups," ET Now quoted government sources as saying, adding that the store would not charge the 30% fee to host apps unlike Google or Apple.

The government is also considering a plan to make it mandatory for Android phones to be pre-installed with its apps, as per the channel's report.