Data protection compliance is no longer optional for Indian businesses. Whether you handle EU customer data (triggering GDPR obligations) or domestic data (governed by India's new Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023), understanding your compliance requirements is essential.
Does GDPR apply to Indian companies?
Yes — if your Indian company processes personal data of EU residents, GDPR applies regardless of where your company is based. This includes Indian SaaS companies serving European clients, IT services firms with EU contracts, and e-commerce businesses selling to EU customers.
India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) 2023
India's own data protection law — the DPDPA 2023 — creates obligations for processing personal data of Indian citizens, including consent requirements, data principal rights, and cross-border transfer rules. Businesses should prepare for full implementation as rules are notified.
Key compliance requirements for Indian businesses
- Maintain records of data processing activities
- Appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) where required
- Implement Privacy by Design in all systems
- Conduct Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA)
- Have breach notification procedures in place
- Establish data subject rights fulfilment processes
How to achieve data protection compliance
- Conduct a data inventory and mapping exercise
- Review and update privacy policies
- Implement technical controls (encryption, access controls)
- Train staff on data protection obligations
- Get a third-party compliance gap assessment
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