CCI clears way for Publicis India entity to join advertising cartel probe

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Friday cleared the way for its investigation into alleged cartelization in the advertising industry to continue after telling the Delhi High Court it had no objection to adding TLG India, the Indian operating entity of France's Publicis Groupe, to the probe.

The submission resolved a legal challenge by Publicis, which had argued that the regulator had initiated proceedings against the wrong entity. After recording the CCI's position, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma disposed of the petition.

"We have no difficulty adding the petitioner as a party under investigation in the ongoing investigation," senior advocate Jayant Mehta, appearing for the CCI, told the court.

Publicis had contended that the CCI's investigation named "Publicis Groupe"—its global brand and French parent company—instead of TLG India, the legal entity through which it conducts business in India.

The company argued that "Publicis Groupe" is not a legal entity under Indian law and therefore cannot be proceeded against. It maintained that it was not seeking to stall the antitrust investigation but only wanted the regulator to identify the correct entity in the proceedings.

The CCI opposed simply substituting "Publicis Groupe" with TLG India, arguing that the Competition Act empowers it to investigate not only companies but also associations of persons. As a result, it said "Publicis Groupe" could still fall within the scope of the investigation even if it was not a separate legal entity. At the same time, the regulator said it had no objection to adding TLG India to the probe.

With the CCI agreeing to include TLG India, the dispute over the identity of the entity has been resolved, allowing the investigation to proceed.

Queries emailed to TLG India and the Competition Commission of India remained unanswered until press time.

Advertising cartel probe

The case forms part of one of the CCI's biggest investigations into India's advertising industry. The regulator is examining allegations that leading media agencies and industry bodies colluded to fix advertising rates, discounts and other commercial terms in violation of the Competition Act.

The probe spans several global advertising networks, including Publicis, WPP's GroupM, Dentsu and Omnicom, along with industry bodies suspected of coordinating business practices.

According to a Reuters report, the CCI conducted surprise searches on 18 March 2025 at around 10 locations across Delhi, Mumbai and Gurugram linked to major advertising agencies, including GroupM, Publicis, Dentsu and Interpublic, as well as industry bodies, over allegations that they colluded on advertising rates and discounts.

The outcome of the investigation could have significant implications for India's advertising ecosystem, spanning media agencies, advertisers, broadcasters, publishers and digital platforms. If the CCI concludes that the companies entered into anti-competitive agreements, they could face penalties under the Competition Act.

According to market research firm IMARC Group, India's advertising market was valued at ₹993.7 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach ₹2.16 trillion by 2034.

Separately, EY estimates India's media and entertainment sector grew to ₹2.78 trillion ($32 billion) in 2025, driven by advertising, live events and digital subscriptions. Digital advertising expanded 26% to ₹947 billion, accounting for 63% of total advertising revenue.