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AI Apps and Models Now Covered: How India's New Data Law Protects You

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has clarified that India's new data protection law covers AI apps and models. He stated this provides a crucial protection mechanism that was previously absent for citizens' personal data. The law requires entities to obtain consent, minimize data collection, and respect the right to be forgotten. The accompanying rules were finalized after extensive public consultations across seven major cities.

Key Points: Ashwini Vaishnaw Says DPDP Act Covers AI Apps and Models

  • Minister Vaishnaw reassured Parliament that the DPDP Act covers all AI applications and models
  • The Act mandates user consent, data minimization, and the right to be forgotten for data handlers
  • The DPDP Rules were notified on November 14, 2025, fully operationalizing the 2023 Act
  • The final rules were shaped by nearly 7,000 public inputs from nationwide consultations
2 min read

AI apps, AI models covered under latest personal data protection law: Ashwini Vaishnaw in Parliament

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirms AI apps and models fall under the new Digital Personal Data Protection Act, ensuring citizen data privacy.

"Before this Act, there was no mechanism by which the personal data could have been protected. - Ashwini Vaishnaw"

New Delhi, December 3

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Thursday said all AI apps and the AI models covered as a part of the recently notified Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, reassuring that the personal data of all citizens is protected.

Taking part in the Question Hour in Lok Sabha today, the Minister responded to a member's concerns regarding data privacy and noted that the DPDP Act protects citizens' data, and that there was no previous mechanism by which personal data could have been protected.

"Before this Act, there was no mechanism by which the personal data could have been protected," the Minister said in the Lok Sabha.

Acccording to Minister Vaishnaw, the Act has been notified on November 13, and "this has created a totally new regime of protection for the citizens' data and that is the spirit with which we are working."

Because of the DPDP Act, Minister Vaishnaw, as part of his reply to suplementaries in Lok Sabha, said, "now anybody who uses personal data of any user, any citizen of India will basically have a protection mechanism through which consent would have to be taken, data minimization would have to be done, the right to forget will have to be done, and the purpose will have to be very clearly defined."

The government notified the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules, 2025 on November 14, 2025. This marks the full operationalisation of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act).

Together, the Act and the Rules form a clear and citizen-centred framework for the responsible use of digital personal data. They place equal weight on individual rights and lawful data processing.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology invited public comments on the draft Rules before finalising them. Consultations were held in Delhi, Mumbai, Guwahati, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai, as per a recent statement from PIB Headquarters.

A wide range of participants took part in these discussions. Startups, MSMEs, industry bodies, civil society groups and government departments all offered detailed suggestions.

Citizens also shared their views. In total, 6,915 inputs were received during the consultation process. These contributions played a key role in shaping the final Rules, the PIB Headquarters' statement added.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

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Aman W
Good to see the government is finally catching up with technology. But I have a question - how will this work for foreign AI companies like ChatGPT? Will they also have to follow these rules for Indian users? The law needs to be very clear on this.
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Rohit P
Finally! I'm tired of getting spam calls and messages because some app sold my data. Data minimization is key - companies should only take what they absolutely need. Let's see how this is implemented on the ground.
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Sarah B
Appreciate the consultative process mentioned – getting inputs from startups and citizens across cities is the right way to make policy. 6915 suggestions is a significant number. Hope the final rules balance innovation with protection.
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Karthik V
The intent is good, but the real test is execution. We have great laws on paper but weak enforcement. Need a simple, fast grievance redressal system for common people, not just big court cases. Jai Hind 🇮🇳
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Nisha Z
As a small business owner, I'm a bit worried about compliance costs. The article says MSMEs were consulted, which is good. Hope the government provides clear guidelines and support so we can adapt without too much burden.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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