Killer Acquisitions are a Threat to Competitive Markets: India's Contribution to Safeguarding Innovation and Developing the Economy

When the East India Company first came to Indian shores, it did so not as an invader but as a merchant. Gradually, through negotiating, gaining access to domestic supplies, and eliminating competition, it became powerful enough to dominate the subcontinent. Contemporary markets have faced a comparable threat: giant corporations today buy small but innovative businesses not to develop these, but to keep these from ever posing as competition. These “killer acquisitions” have come to mirror an identical model of eradicating future competition at its genesis, and it raises critical questions for India’s guardian regulator. In this article, we will learn what “killer acquisitions” are and read about India’s role in safeguarding small economies from their impact. We shall explore, in the first instance, some practical examples of killer acquisitions to understand how they function in practice, and also take an account of the strengths as well as vulnerabilities of India while considering historical context and the role of the Competition Commission of India (CCI).