The DPD Protection Bill 2023 represents a crucial advancement in India’s digital landscape.
New Delhi
The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2023, tabled in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, is receiving acclaim from industry experts, signalling a significant step towards facilitating cross-border data transfers and optimising storage infrastructure in India. The legislation is expected to attract investments and provide support to startups by acting as an enabler rather than a controller.
T Koshy, ONDC’s Managing Director and CEO, highlighted the government’s proactive mindset in supporting early entrants and startups. He emphasised that as companies grow, they should be encouraged to adhere to stricter norms. According to Koshy, the government’s enabling approach has resulted in a substantial increase in startups, from 1,000 in the last decade to 100,000 today. The government’s supportive policies make it possible for entrepreneurs to experiment and learn without negatively impacting society as a whole.
Himanshu Gupta, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of Shipsy, noted the bill’s potential in liberalising cross-border data transfers, thereby creating profitable investment and partnership opportunities, particularly for Indian SaaS providers. He pointed out that the bill would aid businesses in optimising storage infrastructure costs by eliminating data localization requirements. Gupta also highlighted that the bill’s provision for substantial fines in case of privacy breaches would prompt startups to create robust processes to ensure consent, prevent unauthorised access, and facilitate easy access, rectification, and deletion of data by individuals and customers. Saahil Goel, Co-Founder and CEO of Shiprocket, praised the bill for promoting strong data governance and emphasised that it’s in line with consumer interests, ensuring safety in online shopping, transactions, and consumption. Goel expressed a general sentiment of government support for pro-development and pro-growth, which also carries specific responsibilities. Dhiraj Gupta, Co-Founder and CTO of mFilterIt, highlighted the rationality of the bill, pointing out that startups, often constrained by limited resources, are not fully equipped to maintain compliance with data privacy regulations like large corporations. The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2023 represents a crucial advancement in India’s digital landscape. By fostering an environment that encourages experimentation and growth while ensuring stringent privacy measures, the legislation may significantly contribute to the country’s technological evolution and economic development.