At the same time, due to technological disruptions, changing geo-political realities and emergence of economic nationalism, new expertise are required for policymaking that looks at the future and takes cognisance of disruptions and the forthcoming changes. Obviously, there is no empirical evidence for such a future. This then puts Indian policymaking at an interesting crossroads.

At the same time, due to technological disruptions, changing geo-political realities and emergence of economic nationalism, new expertise are required for policymaking that looks at the future and takes cognisance of disruptions and the forthcoming changes. Obviously, there is no empirical evidence for such a future. This then puts Indian policymaking at an interesting crossroads.

While the modern view on data privacy regulations is largely based on the understanding that data belongs to individuals and not to companies/institutions that buy or use them, the public good view suggests that data generated from consumers should be owned by a public repository that manage its responsible use. The experiment with Data Trusts in UK is a case in point. Other policy questions around data governance relate to anti-trust conduct, inequality, privacy, data security and surveillance. Private entities and the state, are gatekeepers of personal data, their integrity and commitment are central to the design and implementation of data protection laws. However, the absence of a coherent international legal regime for data protection has prompted countries to devise frameworks based on their unique cultural and legal traditions. Some policies on data regulation are also driven by the economic interests of nations.

In India, data governance policies have taken centre-stage with the Justice Srikrishna Committee Report, and the draft Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018. The Personal Data Protection (PDP) Bill, 2019, has been approved by the Cabinet and has been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee. The Bill, among other suggestions, also calls for the creation of an independent regulator Data Protection Authority (DPA), which will oversee assessments and audits. India is currently witnessing a host of sectoral proposals (draft E-Commerce Policy, draft e-pharmacy regulations) on the use and storage of data that overlap with existing policies. This could result in potential over reach and excessive regulation that can adversely impact the growth of the industry.

Major economies including US and Germany have dominated global trade due to their ability to capture value. For instance, for Apple, manufacturing is done in China and Vietnam but the value capture is done in the US. Even though Apple set up facilities in India, 90 per cent of the product value is captured in the home country in the name of innovation and IP. There is a need to nurture and promote innovation and new technologies based businesses that capture high values.

Raksha Digital Transformation