India antitrust body targets beauty pageants with scrutiny of Mrs India Inc

New Delhi: India's antitrust body is investigating Mrs. India ​Inc, an organiser of a ​beauty pageant for married women that sends winners to global ​events, accusing it of abusing its position and setting burdensome contract terms for participants.

The first such investigation by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) comes as it also investigates accusations of ‌wrongdoing by ⁠some of ⁠the world's biggest companies, such as France's Pernod Ricard, Apple and India's Tata Steel.

Also read: CCI orders probe into Mrs India Inc for alleged breach of competition rules


It focuses on a niche area the regulator described as a "market for services of beauty pageants for married women in India" with the aim of sending winners to major international contests.

The CCI's analysis of agreements submitted by a contestant showed they contained "onerous ​terms", it said in Wednesday's order.

These include a five-year ⁠bar on ‌many contestants and winners from participating in any other ​beauty pageant, ​whether as judge or mentor.

"Participants are also prohibited from signing ⁠or accepting any professional assignments or contracts without express ​written permission" of the firm, the CCI added.

Mrs India Inc did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

CASE TRIGGERED BY COMPLAINT FROM RUNNER-UP

On its website, Mrs India Inc calls itself the "most credible" beauty pageant for married women in India and says it is "associated with most prestigious international beauty pageants for married women".

The CCI said its case was triggered by ‌a complaint from Rinima Borah Agarwal, a runner-up in the 2024 competition, also crowned "Mrs. India Galaxy", allowing her to compete in the "International Mrs. Galaxy" pageant representing India ⁠in 2025.

The watchdog said it had sought comments and details of Mrs India Inc's tie-ups in 2025 in its review of the accusations, but the firm ​did not respond, despite numerous opportunities to do so.

Also read: Unilever says it won't miss India's premium boom like it did in China

Another onerous contract term, the watchdog pointed out, requires the pageant's participants and winners to "join hands with a social cause recognised and promoted" by Mrs India Inc.

The regulator's investigations can typically run for months before it hands down a final order resolving the matter.