In May 2022, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) initiated consultations on a draft National Data Governance Framework Policy. (https://www.meity.gov.in/content/draft-national-data-governance-framework-policy)

In our comments to MEITY, we point out that while the policy may be well intentioned in promoting development of the Indian startup ecosystem, creating a restricted access platform may not be the best method of achieving such a goal. In addition to being difficult to restrict downstream uses of data only to Indian entities, a restricted access platform could come at a cost to open data initiatives which enhance government accountability. In addition to suggestions directed at enhancing useability of the proposed data access platform an protecting against harm from unethical data usage, we also suggest methods to enhance the accountability and capacity of the institutional mechanisms envisaged under the framework.

Comments to MEITY consultation on the draft National Data Governance Framework Policy, Rishab Bailey, Ajay Shah, Ameya Naik, Brinda Lashkari, XKDR Forum Working paper 15, June 2022