INDIA'S PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION ACT AND THE POLITICS OF DIGITAL GOVERNANCE
ISSUE BRIEF
Atlantic Council
SOUTH ASIA CENTER
ISSUE BRIEF
India's Personal Data Protection Act and the Politics of Digital Governance MAY 2023
STEPHEN WEYMOUTH
I The South Asia Center serves as the Atlantic Council’s focal point for work on greater South Asia as well as relations between these countries, the neighboring regions, Europe, and the United States. It seeks to foster partnerships with key institutions in the region to establish itself as a forum for dialogue between decision-makers in South Asia, the United States, and NATO. These deliberations cover internal and external security, governance, trade, economic development, education, and other issues. The Center remains committed to working with stakeholders from the region itself, in addition to partners and experts in the United States and Europe, to offer comprehensive analyses and recommendations for policymakers.
ATLANTIC COUNCIL
n February 2023, the Wall Street Journal heralded the India’s emergence as a “global economic power.”1 India’s rise can be attributed to improvements in infrastructure, the liberalization of stifling regulation, and a population poised to benefit from the expansion of digital services globalization. India’s comparative advantage in high tech services makes the country well-positioned to capitalize on the expansion of the global digital economy. India’s $227 billion technology sector has achieved spectacular growth, with revenues up 15.5 percent in 2022.2 Exports account for 78 percent of the technology sector’s 2022 revenues, and technology exports make up over half of India’s total services exports.3 India’s competitiveness derives from its skilled workforce, relatively low wages, and high English proficiency. First, India accounts for 32 percent of the world’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates. Forty-three percent of India’s STEM graduates are women—a higher proportion than the United States
1
Greg Ip, “As India Shakes Off Shackles, It Emerges as Global Economic Power,” Wall Street Journal, February 23, 2023 https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-india-shakes-off-its-shackles-it-emerges-as-a-globaleconomic-power-431811c0?mod=economy_more_pos1
2
“Technology Sector in India 2022: Strategic Review,” NASSCOM https://nasscom.in/knowledge-center/ publications/technology-sector-india-2022-strategic-review
3
“Technology Sector in India 2022: Strategic Review,” NASSCOM https://nasscom.in/sites/default/files/ nasscom-annual-strategic-review-executive-summary-2022.pdf
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