business deal

Google raised the specter of Microsoft using its proposed $44.6 billion acquisition of Yahoo to gain illegal control over the Internet, underscoring the online search leader's queasiness about its two biggest rivals teaming up.

The critical remarks, posted online by Google's top lawyer, represented the Mountain View-based company's first public reaction to Microsoft's unsolicited bid for Yahoo since the offer was announced on Friday.

If Microsoft's bid for Yahoo! goes through, the combination will mean stiff competition for Google and AOL in the Rs 230 crore online advertising market in India that is growing rapidly.

Yahoo! has about 1,500 people in India across its R&D and sales operations, while AOL has a development, test centre, offshore analytics team and content division located here. Indian player Rediff.com too has been entrenched here for over a decade.