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ARTICLE · 06 JULY 2026

CCI Dismisses Excessive Pricing Allegations Against Delhi’s Max Hospital

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After a decade-long investigation into allegations of anti-competitive practices in Delhi's hospital sector, India's Competition Commission has delivered a landmark ruling on aftermarket abuse and excessive pricing. The case, which began with complaints about disposable syringe markups at Max Super Specialty Hospital, evolved into a comprehensive examination of pricing practices across 12 super specialty hospitals, ultimately establishing critical precedents for defining healthcare aftermarkets and applying

IndiaAntitrust/Competition Law
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Closing proceedings that ran over 10 years, in June 2026, the CCI passed its final order dismissing allegations of abuse of dominance and anti-competitive agreements against Max Super Specialty Hospital, Delhi (‘Max Hospital’).

The case originated from a complaint about disposable syringe price markups, allegedly caused by an anticompetitive agreement between Becton Dickinson and Max Hospital. The CCI’s investigation wing, the Director General (‘DG’), found no evidence of an exclusive supply agreement after a two year investigation. But it did find excessive pricing of syringes by hospitals in an ‘aftermarket’ for locked-in patients.

On reviewing the DG’s recommendations, the CCI directed a supplementary investigation to examine all aftermarket abuse concerns in the hospital market in Delhi. The supplementary investigation spanned another three years and focused on healthcare products and services provided to ‘in-patients’ (patients admitted to stay in the hospital) by 12 super

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