Ashok Kumar Gupta

Ashok Kumar Gupta (Hindi: अशोक कुमार गुप्ता) is an Indian regulator who serves as Chair of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), India's national competition regulatory agency. Kumar is an alumni of the Indian Administrative Service's (IAS) Tamil Nadu cadre.

Ashok Kumar Gupta
Chair of the Competition Commission of India
Assumed office
November 9, 2018
Prime MinisterNarendra Modi
Preceded bySudhir Mital (acting)
Personal details
EducationDelhi University (B.S.)
Syracuse University (M.P.A.)
University of Madras (M.Phil)
ProfessionRegulator, civil servant

Education and career

Gupta received his degree in mechanical engineering from Delhi University. Gupta later attended Syracuse University (SU) in the United States, where he received his Master's of Public Administration (MPA) degree. While at SU, Gupta published his dissertation A Study Of R&D/Marketing Interface And Innovation Success In High Technology Firms (1984), which concluded that research and development (R&D) and marketing integration is crucial to the success of an organization.[1]

Gupta went on to receive his M.Phil degree in Defence and Strategic Studies from the University of Madras. During his career, Gupta served at different times in the Ministries of Health, Heavy Industries, Shipping, MSME, and Commerce and Industry.[2]

Competition Commission of India (CCI)

On November 9, 2018, Gupta was appointed Chair of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for a term expiring October 25, 2022, when Gupta will turn 65.[3] In a September 2020 interview with The Indian Express, Gupta argued that market concentration itself is not an issue, and that the dominance of a single firm in an industry should only be regulated if it is "abused".[4]

COVID-19 response

As CCI Chair, Gupta helped coordinate India's regulatory policies during the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted the country's economic function. In conjunction with the governments of Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa, the Gupta-led CCI signed onto the “Statement of the BRICS Competition Authorities on COVID-19”.[5] In 2020, the Gupta-led CCI received approximately 85 combination filings, with 74 being approved by the commission, including three with remedies.[6]

Approach to technology industry issues

In the wake of efforts to regulate large technology companies in China, the United States, and the European Union,[7] Gupta has advocated for India to take a similar approach towards "Big Tech". Gupta has argued that digital markets have become "centres for entrenched and unchecked dominance", and under his leadership the CCI has launched investigations into Amazon and Google.[8]

In an address to the ASSOCHAM trade association, Gupta hinted that he supported new legislation to supplement or replace the 2002 Competition Act. Gupta suggested that the law, which governs Indian competition law, has proven insufficient in the face of concentration in the technology industry.[9]

References
  1. Gupta, Ashok (1984-01-01). "A Study Of R&D/Marketing Interface And Innovation Success In High Technology Firms". Business Administration - Dissertations.
  2. "The Commission". Competition Commission of India.
  3. "Ashok Kumar Gupta appointed as the chairman of Competition Commission of India". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  4. "Ashok Kumar Gupta: 'Concentration of power by itself not a concern … CCI can see if dominance abused or not'". The Indian Express. 2021-01-15. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  5. Gupta, Ashok Kumar (2021-04-13). "The Year Gone By… Competition Law in the Time of a Pandemic – Some Reflections". Competition Policy International. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  6. PTI. "Competition Commission to have regional presence; more streamlined processes: CCI chief". @businessline. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  7. Amaro, Silvia (2021-09-24). "China and the U.S. are challenging Europe's role as top tech regulator". CNBC. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  8. "CCI Chairman Ashok Kumar Gupta: Digital markets lately have become 'centres for unchecked dominance'". The Indian Express. 2021-08-11. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  9. "Competition Commission Chief Hints At Changes In Legislation". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
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