Draft DPDP rules prioritise India’s citizen-centric governance: PMO

New Delhi, Jan 7 (IANS) The Draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules, 2025, prioritise India’s commitment to citizen-centric governance as they aim to safeguard personal data while driving growth and inclusivity, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Tuesday.

In a post on X social media platform, the PMO referred to Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwani Vaishnaw’s explanation on the draft rules which seek to protect personal data of individuals and empower citizens.

Vaishnaw highlighted that the draft DPDP rules reflect India’s leadership in shaping global data governance norms.

“Unlike some international models that lean heavily towards regulation, our approach is pragmatic and growth-oriented. This balance ensures that citizens are protected without stifling the innovative spirit that drives our startups and businesses. Small businesses and startups will face lower compliance burdens,” the union minister observed.

“When we talk about the global future, then human-centric approaches should be foremost.” These words by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the recent United Nations Summit of the Future reflect India’s vision of putting people first.

This philosophy has guided our efforts in shaping the Draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules.

“The rules, after being finalised, would operationalise the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, bringing to life our commitment to safeguarding citizens’ right to personal data protection,” the minister further stated.

The rules are designed with simplicity and clarity, ensuring that every Indian, regardless of their technical know-how, can understand and exercise their rights, he added.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology last week released the draft rules for the DPDP Act which make it mandatory for a Data Fiduciary to ensure verifiable consent of a parent before processing any personal data of a child.

The Act was passed in Parliament in August 2023 and the government is seeking feedback on the draft rules through the MyGov portal till February 18, 2025.

According to the draft rules, “A Data Fiduciary shall adopt appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure that verifiable consent of the parent is obtained before the processing of any personal data of a child and shall observe due diligence, for checking that the individual identifying herself as the parent is an adult who is identifiable.”

The identity must be established through government issued IDs or digital tokens linked to identity services like Digital lockers.

–IANS

sps/na