Update, published on 20/09/2022 at 10:00 am: While speaking at the International Technology Summit 2022 hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industries, Additional Secretary at MeitY Rajendra Singh shared that the upcoming Data Protection Bill will support 'efficient usage of data with [the] confidence that data would be protected while allowing that data may be used by the industry'. Update, published on 29/08/2022 at 12:00 pm: In conversation with The Hindu, Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw hinted that the draft data protection Bill will be released for public comments 'soon'. The Bill, which aims to develop a modern and 'accessible, inclusive, and equitable structure' for data protection and sharing, will likely be presented in Parliament in the upcoming Budget session. A new telecom Bill to replace colonial-era legislation is also in the 'advanced stages' of drafting, with stakeholder consultation wrapping up. Vaishnaw added that there won't be a separate cybersecurity law—the issue demands a 'techno-legal solution (..) For that, we have to continuously invest in infrastructure, new processes, training people and making common citizens aware'. However, he was clear that law enforcement will be the 'final authority' on content removal from social media platforms. The Minister also appeared optimistic about India's manufacturing capacities for semiconductors and telecom, adding that 'by next year we will be exporting telecom technology to the world'. Original Version, published on 10/08/2022 at 11:03 am: The withdrawal of the Data Protection Bill, 2020 (DPB) from the Lok Sabha on August 3rd has seen both…
