Ola CEO Unhappy With Google Maps' Price Reduction In India

Published: Friday, July 19, 2024, 12:30 [IST]

Bhavish Aggarwal, the founder and CEO of Ola, has criticised Google for slashing the cost of its Maps Platform for developers in India by 70 percent starting August 1. Google announced a new pricing structure tailored to the country to facilitate building location-based solutions. However, this move did not sit well with Aggarwal, who has been advocating for Ola Maps powered by his AI startup Krutrim.

Aggarwal expressed his dissatisfaction on X, stating: "Dear Google, too little too late! Reducing prices for Google Maps, 'offering to price in ₹' after #ExitGoogleMaps. Don't need your fake generosity! Tomorrow, I'll be writing a blog response and announcing major updates on Ola maps Krutrim. Stay tuned!"

Earlier this month, Aggarwal had announced that Ola Cabs had fully transitioned from Google Maps to its proprietary Ola Maps. He mentioned that this shift is expected to save the company Rs 100 crore annually. The move aligns with his vision of promoting an "India-first" cost structure through Krutrim's services.

Ola Maps and User Reactions

Social media users shared mixed reactions to Aggarwal's comments. Nikhil Gangil (@Intrinsic_cycle) wrote: "Hi Bhavish, I think it's fantastic that you are deciding to be self-reliant and also paving way for other Indian businesses to use the Indian Map service. But Ola Map is bad right now. Top many location/lane errors. As a daily user, I feel there is a lot of scope to make it better. Hope you will take this seriously."

Another user, Vikas Kumaarr (@flyingvikas129), commented: "When you reduce the price for the product is fair and alright when they have done it, you call it fake? Doglapan, isn't it?" Vimal Gaurav (@vimalgaurav) added: "You were using Google Maps earlier. Now that you have your own Ola Maps, you started abusing Google. This isn't the right spirit or very cheap show of professionalism."

Krutrim's Role in Mapping Services

Aggarwal's AI startup Krutrim launched mapping and location-based services through the Ola Maps API in May. He highlighted that one of Krutrim's significant advantages would be offering services at an "India-first" pricing model.

Aggarwal had previously stated that moving away from Google Maps was part of a broader strategy to enhance self-reliance and support local businesses with more affordable mapping solutions.

The recent developments indicate a growing trend among Indian tech companies to develop indigenous solutions and reduce dependency on global tech giants like Google.

Aggarwal's strong stance against Google's pricing strategy underscores his commitment to promoting local alternatives and fostering innovation within India's tech ecosystem.

This ongoing debate between Aggarwal and Google highlights the competitive dynamics in the mapping services market in India.