Senior executives of FedEx, UPS, Aramex, and DHL in India will be cross-examined in the coming weeks by the Federation of Indian Publishers, which has accused the courier companies of price collusion. The move marks an uncommon development in an antitrust investigation that last year cleared the firms of wrongdoing, according to a Competition Commission of India (CCI) order reviewed by Reuters.
India’s courier and parcel delivery market — boosted by surging e-commerce — is projected to grow 11% annually, reaching $14.3 billion by 2030, according to Mordor Intelligence. The market’s rapid expansion has attracted both domestic and global players eager to secure a share.
The case began in 2022, when the publishers’ group alleged that the delivery companies coordinated on prices and discounts. In December 2024, Reuters reported that the CCI had found “no evidence” of commercial information sharing among the firms, relying largely on oral statements. Case details remain confidential under Indian law.
However, the Federation of Indian Publishers successfully argued that anomalies in executives’ statements were ignored during the investigation and that cross-examination was warranted. In a May 28 internal order, the CCI said the federation had “demonstrated sufficient cause establishing necessity and expediency” for such proceedings — a rarity in Indian competition enforcement.
Executives scheduled to be questioned include:Subhasish Chakraborty, Managing Director of DTDC Express; R.S. Subramanian, Managing Director of DHL Express India; Suvendu Choudhury, Vice President of FedEx India; Percy Avari, General Manager of Aramex India; and Abbas Panju, Managing Director of UPS Express India.
None of the executives responded to Reuters requests for comment. DHL stated it operates in “full compliance with all laws” and is cooperating fully with the CCI but declined to discuss specifics. FedEx, UPS, Aramex, DTDC, and the publishers’ federation also did not comment.
The Federation represents leading domestic publishers such as S. Chand and Rupa Publications, as well as international publishers including Pan Macmillan.
Allowing complainants to directly question company executives is highly unusual in India and could influence the outcome of the case.
“Such cross-examination may reveal new facts and the conclusions of the earlier investigation report may come into question,” said Gautam Shahi, partner at law firm Dua Associates.
The CCI’s investigations unit will supervise the proceedings and present a report to senior antitrust officials. Sources indicate that the process could delay the case by several months and introduce new legal and operational challenges for the courier industry.
The publishers allege the firms not only coordinated to set delivery charges but also failed to reduce fuel surcharges when jet fuel prices fell. A 202-page CCI investigation report, seen by Reuters, notes that 36 notices were sent to 15 courier companies in 2023–24, with UPS providing the highest number of responses. The report concludes no email correspondence was found indicating collusion or coordinated activities.
By securing the right to cross-examine, the publishers now intend to test the credibility of previous testimony and draw attention to inconsistencies they claim were overlooked.
