Hope India Finds Right Balance, Says Google's Sundar Pichai On Tech Regulations

Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Monday said he hopes India can find the right balance when it comes to tech regulations.

Speaking at the Google for India 2022, Pichai emphasised that India has a leadership role to play in tech regulations given its sheer scale and technology leadership. 

He said tech is touching a lot of lives today which means that it would require responsible regulation. 

“I think it's important for countries to think about how to best safeguard its citizens – be it in privacy or IT security. And so, I think it's an important phase and we are engaging constructively,” Pichai said.

Weighing in on the topic at the event, Minister of Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said a balanced way of absorbing technology needs to be created because technology brings many new opportunities but it also brings many new challenges with it

“In today's world where information is ubiquitous in India, the cost of data is so low and adoption of technology is so rapid. How do we create a legal and regulatory structure which is in tune with times, which matches India's needs, which is built around our realities? That’s the way we are working,” the Minister said.

Vaishnaw shared that PM Modi had set a clear target of creating a comprehensive legal regulatory framework. 

India is currently pursuing legal frameworks in tech in three horizons including telecom for carriers, digital protection for citizen privacy and Digital India Bill.

Speaking on the Telecom Bill and Digital Data Protection Bill, Vaishnaw said they are expected to pass the parliament between July and August 2023.

At the event, Google’s Pichai said that while working with an innovative framework for tech on top of a legal framework is important, a balance is also necessary.

“India will also be a big export economy and will benefit from an open and connected internet. And I think getting that balance right will be important,” he concluded.

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