The Competition Act of 2002 transformed India's existing economic regulations by replacing its previous system that restricted monopolies through the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act of 1969 with new regulations that support competitive markets as the main method for delivering consumer benefits. The Act which created the Competition Commission of India (CCI) appeared after India's 1990s era of liberalisation and globalisation to give CCI three tasks: to stop anti-competitive agreements, to control abuse of dominant market positions, and to review business combinations that might bring serious harm to market competition. The Act's Preamble establishes consumer welfare as its main value which guides all parts of the regulatory framework.[1]

The research investigates whether the existing competition law framework of India achieves its goal to provide consumer welfare benefits that reach all segments of the Indian population including those who lack digital skills and live in remote areas and belong to economically disadvantaged groups. The study demonstrates through its evaluation of legislative texts and significant judicial rulings and the new regulatory issues which arise from digital markets that competition law in India successfully advances consumer protection through its three main achievements which include battling unfair pricing practices and enhancing market alternatives and controlling powerful business entities. The research identifies a fundamental discrepancy between the theoretical framework of competition law and its actual implementation because institutional limitations and insufficient consumer understanding and excessive legal complexities obstruct its complete distribution. The study assesses the Competition Amendment Act of 2023 because it establishes deal value thresholds and global turnover penalties and settlement processes which determine how these changes impact enforcement effectiveness and social welfare. The study proposes a competition law framework which combines distributive fairness and institutional strength with public advocacy to meet the needs of all Indian consumer groups.