Global IT Companies Express Concern over Data Privacy Bill

Global technology associations have come together to express ‘strong concern’ over the Joint Parliamentary Committee’s recommendations on India’s Personal Data Protection (PDP) bill. They group claims that the recommendations ‘run counter to global standards’ for data protection and competition and urged the Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology to launch additional stakeholder consultations before introducing the PDP bill in Parliament. The signatories included the US India Business Council (USIBC), the US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), Information Industry Technology Council (ITI), Business Europe and the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA).  

The organizations reiterated that member companies are united by the need to process, protect, and transfer proprietary data within countries they operate in. They added that these companies rely on this data to reach consumers, drive business efficiencies, and continue to innovate. The associations concluded by saying that if JPC’s recommendations are accepted and the bill enacted, it would create powerful disincentives for India’s innovation ecosystem.