Davos 2025: DPDP rules short-term pain but will bring long-term gains, says WEF cybersecurity chief Akshay Joshi

Akshay Joshi, head for Centre for Cybersecurity at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 22

As India prepares for the implementation of the personal data protection rules, Akshay Joshi, Head of the Centre for Cybersecurity at the World Economic Forum (WEF), said the regulations can cause short-term complexities but will be beneficial in the long run.

"DPDP reminds me of the GDPR (European Union's General Data Protection Regulation). The initial reaction (from industry) was concern over conforming to the norms. But over time, organisations have learned to live with it, and it now works effectively," Joshi told Moneycontrol in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

He was referring to the draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) rules which have been shared by the government with public, calling for suggestions.

"For the India story, it is short-term pain but long-term gain... If we are looking at that scenario, long-term intent is very good.
I don't mean to undermine by saying that in the short-term, there will not be teething problems especially since (notices) in 22 languages notices need to be provided," Joshi said.

Under the DPDP Act, digital platforms need to provide notices and consent forms in all 22 official languages listed in the Constitution.

Joshi said as the world’s largest digital economy with millions relying on mobile technology, India’s challenge is balancing education on digital privacy with the risk of people unknowingly compromising their personal data.

"As India becomes more and more digital, keeping privacy at the centre is imperative," he added.

The DPDP Rules, stem from the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, which was passed by Parliament in August 2023. Central to these rules are features such as the role of consent managers, obligations of significant data fiduciaries and provisions for processing children’s data.

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has reiterated the government’s intent to keep the rules simple and accessible, with phased consultations to address stakeholder concerns.