NEW DELHI — In a watershed moment for India's digital economy, Parliament approved the Digital India Bill 2026 late Monday after a marathon debate that stretched past midnight. The legislation introduces a single statutory framework for data protection, algorithmic accountability, and intermediary liability.
The bill empowers the newly created Digital India Authority to audit large platforms, levy penalties up to 4% of global turnover, and certify high-risk AI systems before deployment.
Opposition members welcomed the consumer-protection provisions but warned that loose definitions of "lawful interception" could enable surveillance overreach. The government has committed to issuing implementation rules within 90 days.
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