Why the new data law needs sharper teeth, not softer rules

Regulator independence is the missing piece in the current framework.

India's data protection law has taken years to arrive, but questions remain about its enforcement. The regulator's independence — or the lack of it — is the elephant in the room.

For any data protection framework to work, the enforcement agency must have both the powers and the political independence to act against violators, regardless of their size or influence.

Reported by the Sunday Show news desk.