International Data Privacy Day, observed annually on 28 January, underscores the importance of safeguarding personal data in an increasingly digital world. Also known as Data Protection Day, it commemorates the signing of Convention 108 in 2006 by the Council of Europe, the world’s first legally binding international treaty on data protection. The day serves as a reminder of the shared responsibility of governments, digital platforms, and citizens in building a secure, trusted, and inclusive digital ecosystem.
Data privacy remains a foundational pillar of responsible digital governance. It safeguards citizens’ personal information across large-scale digital platforms, builds trust in government-led digital services, and enables the ethical and secure adoption of emerging technologies. Robust data protection frameworks also reduce cyber risks by preventing misuse, mitigating threats, and improving accountability through transparency and effective institutional oversight.
India’s expanding digital footprint and the privacy imperative
India’s rapid digitalisation has transformed governance, service delivery, and citizen participation at an unprecedented scale. Digital platforms now function as essential public infrastructure, supporting identity verification, payments, healthcare, education, grievance redressal, and participatory governance. While this transformation has improved efficiency and inclusion, it has also heightened the need for strong data protection and cybersecurity safeguards.
India’s Digital Public Infrastructure has become the backbone of this transformation. Aadhaar has established a trusted digital identity framework, while UPI has revolutionised real-time digital payments. Platforms enabling paperless governance have streamlined public services, while citizen-centric initiatives such as MyGov, with over six crore users, have strengthened participatory governance. eSanjeevani has facilitated more than 44 crore digital health consultations, significantly expanding access to healthcare. The scale and reach of these platforms reinforce the importance of privacy and security to sustain public trust.
Connectivity, affordability, and digital inclusion further define India’s digital scale. As the world’s third-largest digitalised economy, India has over 101.7 crore broadband subscribers as of September 2025, with users spending an average of 1,000 minutes online. Affordable mobile data, priced at around $0.10 per GB in 2025, has accelerated adoption, making digital access a defining feature of India’s socio-economic landscape.
Strengthening privacy and cybersecurity frameworks
The rapid growth of digital interactions has increased the volume and sensitivity of personal data, intensifying risks related to data misuse and cyber threats. Recognising this, the Government has strengthened institutional safeguards, including an allocation of ₹782 crore for cybersecurity in the 2025–26 Budget to protect digital public infrastructure.
India’s legal and regulatory framework for data protection and cybersecurity is anchored in the Information Technology Act, 2000, which provides legal recognition to electronic records and digital signatures, enables e-governance, and establishes key cybersecurity mechanisms such as CERT-In as the national incident response agency. Complementing this, the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 mandate due diligence and grievance redressal mechanisms for intermediaries, ensuring a safer and more transparent online environment.
A major milestone in India’s data protection journey is the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, which governs the processing of personal data collected through digital means. The Act balances individual privacy with lawful data use for innovation and economic growth, following a Simple, Accessible, Rational, and Actionable approach. It empowers citizens as Data Principals, granting them clear rights over their personal data and ensuring accountability of organisations handling such data.
The establishment of the Data Protection Board of India under the Act strengthens enforcement through oversight, inquiry into data breaches, and corrective action. Citizens are entitled to rights such as consent management, access to personal data, correction and erasure, nomination of representatives, and timely redressal. Special protections are provided for children and persons with disabilities, reinforcing a rights-based and inclusive data protection framework.
The Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025, notified in November 2025, operationalise the Act by detailing compliance mechanisms and strengthening accountability. Together, the Act and Rules provide regulatory clarity, promote responsible data use, and support a secure and future-ready digital economy.
National measures for cybersecurity and data protection
Beyond legislation, the Government has implemented a wide range of initiatives to strengthen cybersecurity and citizen awareness. These include the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre for coordinated responses to cybercrime, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and the 1930 helpline for timely reporting of incidents, and the Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre for real-time interventions against financial fraud.
Digital enforcement tools such as Sahyog for content takedown, the Suspect Registry to identify fraud-linked accounts, and indigenous cybersecurity solutions developed by C-DAC enhance national resilience. Capacity-building initiatives like CyTrain, the Cyber Commando Programme, and specialised certifications for AI security are strengthening India’s cybersecurity workforce, while awareness initiatives such as Cyber Swachhta Kendra promote cyber hygiene among citizens.
Data Privacy Day serves as a timely reminder that trust is the cornerstone of India’s rapidly expanding digital ecosystem. As digital public infrastructure increasingly shapes governance, service delivery, and everyday life across the country, protecting personal data is not merely a technical requirement but a democratic imperative. India’s evolving legal frameworks, strong institutional mechanisms, and citizen centric initiatives reflect a firm commitment to ensuring that digital innovation remains safe, ethical, and accountable.
With the rollout of the Digital Personal Data Protection Framework, strengthened cybersecurity institutions, and sustained investments in capacity building and awareness, India is steadily advancing towards a secure and future-ready digital environment. Recognising the significance of data privacy reinforces the shared responsibility of the Government, digital platforms, and citizens to safeguard personal data, build trust, and ensure that India’s digital transformation remains inclusive, resilient, and citizen centric.
