DPDP Act will safeguard future generations: PM Modi in Parliament

The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 would safeguard the coming generations and give them a tool to make their futures, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his final address in the 17th Lok Sabha on Saturday.

“In the 21st century, our basic needs have completely transformed. Until yesterday, what had no value has now become invaluable, like data. The entire world is discussing the capability of data. By bringing the Data Protection Bill, we have safeguarded future generations. We have given the future generation a tool, based on which, to make their future, they will use it well. Globally, people are interested in India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that countries around the world respect the DPDP Act and are trying to harmonise their own measures with it.

“The Act also has guidelines for how the data should be used. India is also poised to fully use data’s capability --- which people call ‘gold mine’ and ‘new oil’ --- while keeping protection in mind,” he said.

“India is special in this field because it is full of diversity. The kind of information that we have and the data that is generated about us --- if someone were to look at only data of our railway passengers, it becomes a subject of research for the world. We have recognised its power and thus come out with this Act,” Modi said.

While the DPDP Act was notified on August 11, 2023, it has not been enacted yet. The operationalisation of the Act is dependent on 25eets of rules which have not been released for public consultation yet.

Modi counted “cyber” as a new power along with “sea power” and “space power.” “Land, air, and water have been talked about for centuries. But now, (there are) sea power, space power and cyber power. There is a need to set up this triumvirate of powers given the kind of dangers the world is going through. We have to develop positive capabilities and we have to develop capabilities to confront negative effects and challenges. For that, space reforms were very important, and we have done a lot of far-reaching work related to space,” he said.