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The policies, politics, and tech shaping the MENA+
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Formulates and implements policy on telecommunications in order to facilitate a transparent policy environment and to nurture conditions favorable to the growth of the telecommunications sector and to allow India to become a global information society leader.
Aims to provide secure, reliable, affordable and high quality converged telecommunication services by developing a robust telecommunication network that provides coverage across the country, with special focus on rural and remote areas.
Formulates, implements, and monitors foreign trade policy in order to make India a major player in the world trade and assume a role of leadership in international trade organizations.
Promotes cyber security, the growth of the electronics, IT & ITeS industries, R&D and innovation, in addition to the enhancement of government efficiency through digital services.
Formulates policies relating to science and technology and supports research and development of those sectors.
Formulates and implements policy in order to create an environment for sustained growth of the media and entertainment sectors and disseminates information on government policies, programmes and achievements.
Responsible for internal security, border management, Centre-State relations, administration of Union Territories, management of Central Armed Police Forces, and disaster management.
Part of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology that responds to cyber attacks and promotes awareness of cyber threats to the general public.
National intiative to promote technological innovation by supporting individuals and companies in any technological field, so that India will become a leader in the global knwoledge economy.
Provides financial assistance to companies developing or adapting new technologies, in order to promote new ideas, encourage production, and motivate industries towards greater innovation.
Issues and maintains records of Unique Identification numbers (UID) to all citizens of India.
Regulates IP addresses and facilitates the exchange of domestic internet traffic.
Provides ICT and eGovernance support to government agencies and promotes digital opportunities for sustainable development.
Centre devoted to protecting India's critical information infrastructure from cyber threats.
Geographic Information System (GIS) platform for sharing location-based datasets such as data related to central government land banks, mining, forests, industrial parks, water resources etc. among Indian ministries and governmental bodies in order to streamline insights for decision making.
Promotes research and development in the communications and technological sectors.
Association representing India's IT sector that represents members' interests to the government, organizes conferences, seminars, training sessions, events and workshops, creates technology initiatives, and publishes industry related information.
Association representing Indian software companies that advocates for policy beneficial to the growth and success of technology industries.
Part of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology that provides services tailored for software exporters with the objective of encouraging, promoting and boosting the software exports from India.
Operates and manages Indian domain names, and promotes the enhancement of the quality of Indian internet services.
Represents all bodies relating to internet use in India, including connectivity providers, content providers, telecenters and cyber cafes, and internet users with the goal of promoting internet use for all.
Represents businesses to the government, investors, consumers and other stakeholders in support of expanding and enhancing the online and mobile value added services sectors.
Government agency established under Maharashtra Department of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to boost the innovation-driven entrepreneurial ecosystem by developing a conducive environment for innovative businesses.
Established by the State government of Maharashtra in 2016 to bolster the implementation of ICT initiatives, advise the state on prospective tech strategies and policies, and establish it’s e-Governance framework.
Tamil Nadu Government's primary vehicle for promoting and developing its tech ecosystem - offers funding, mentoring, and training for entrepreneurs and provides advice on state-level tech and innovation policies.
Responsible for implementing the Information Technology Policy of Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi. Offers technical advice on tech-related Departmental matters, vets government IT projects and support development of Delhi's IT sector.
Established by the Home Department of Government of Maharashtra, is responsible for leading and implementing of all the cybercrime initiatives and programs for the State of Maharashtra and generating awareness of cyber-related risks.
Responsible for providing digital Government services, both informational and transactional, to citizens and supporting the development of IT and Telecommunication services in the state in line with sustainable development goals.
State-level entity responsible for developing policies to facilitate the growth of the information technology sector in Karnataka and encouraging scientific research.
Aims to provide appropriate skills and support job creation for youth in Karnataka to promote sustainable livelihoods. Oversees development of training and entrepreneurship programs.
Assists the Department of IT, Biotechnology and Software & Technology in create an enabling ecosystem for the development of the IT and startup industry in the state through policy facilitation and investment promotion.
Focuses on supporting support startups in the state through strategic investment, policy interventions and leveraging the robust innovation climate in Bengaluru and wider Karnataka.
Leads innovation, entrepreneurial and technology outreach efforts for startups in Telengana, primarily through its incubator and accelerator programs.
Set up in 2017 under the Telangana State Innovation Policy with a three-fold mandate to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, encourage public sector innovation, and support youth to develop skills for a modern economy.
Strategy to develop a cloud computing environment at the national level that provides access to infrastructure, resources, and applications.
Highlights five sectors best served by the development of greater AI capabilities (healthcare, agriculture, education, smart cities/infrastructure, and smart mobility) and provides strategies to achieve these capabilities.
Strategy to provide high speed internet access to all citizens and to establish a comprehensive data protection regime for digital communications that safeguards privacy, autonomy and choice of individuals.
Strategy to create a secure cyber ecosystem capable of protecting information and information infrastructure in cyberspace, with capabilities to prevent and respond to cyber threats, reduce vulnerabilities and minimize damage from cyber incidents.
Strategy to develop e-commerce infrastructure in India, including by protecting data, attracting FDI, protecting consumers, providing for secure payment methods, and by tracking the digital economy.
Strategy that encourages R&D in the technology sector by providing support to start-ups and towards skill development in emerging technologies across sectors including defense, agriculture, health, and smart cities.
Strategy to position India as a global software product hub driven by innovation, sustainable intellectual property, and the promotion of technology start-ups and specialised skill sets.
Strategy to transform the knowledge economy of India by providing each citizen with a digital ID, providing access to high speed internet to all, and making government services available to citizens electronically.
Builds upon successes of Digital India Programme and identifies goals for the future, including improving cyber security, providing better e-governance services, using IT advances to improve healthcare, education, and financial services, and building a digital economy for the future.
Aims to provide affordable high speed digital connectivity throughout rural India and to facilitate the proliferation of broadband services in rural areas in order to foster socio-economic development in line with the vision of the Digital India Programme.
Program launched in 2015 to provide training in various skills to the Indian workforce, notably in emerging technologies and with a focus on providing training for women.
Initiative to improve the startup environment by providing funding, reducing patent registration fees, making the Bankruptcy Code more favorable to startups, not performing inspections nor collecting taxes from startups for their first 3 years in business, and providing educational opportunities.
Strategy to promote intelligent design and development in cities, by undertaking projects for city improvement (retrofitting), for city renewal (redevelopment) and for city extension (greenfield development) so that housing and transport are more accessible for citizens.
Strategy to make all government services accessible online to citizens and to provide strategic direction for the implementation of the Digital India Programme.
Encourages greater use of electronic transfers and seeks to build a stronger legal framework for its adoption.
Policy aiming to boost electric mobility and increase in the share of EVs in commercial fleets.
Seeks to boost adoption of battery electric vehicles to 25% of all new vehicle registrations by 2024 by offering financial incentives to increase purchase of electric cars, two-wheelers, transport and freight vehicles.
Aims to make Maharashtra the first blockchain-powered state in India by exploring possible use cases of blockchain technology to enhance governance
Aims to make the state one of the top five FinTech centers in the world in the next five years by facilitating the establishment of 300 FinTech startups, providing venture capital, and offering subsidised co-working space.
Seeks to drive economic growth and job creation by encouraging entrepreneurs to develop solutions in sectors such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence, internet of things, and clean energy through establishing incubators, training and investment opportunities.
Aims to provide adequate, efficient and modern infrastructure, particularly in the form of biotechnology parks, and encourage research to develop the biotechnology and agricultural sector.
Establishes framework to maintain and strengthen the leadership of the state in the area of e-Governance and m-Governance in order to facilitate citizen access to government services and move towards a paperless environment.
Policy for the promotion and development of the EV sector by increasing registered EVs, boosting investment in the EV industry and creating 1 million jobs.
Aims to ensure all state citizens can transact with the government electronically, with most of the services being provided online while ensuring that there is no digital divide.
Promotes the IT & ITeS sector to increase software production, exports and employment generation in Tamil Nadu, within special focus on startups, MSMEs and female entrepreneurship and employment.
Seeks to develop Karnataka into a global ESDM hub and a hotbed of innovation through focused interventions and encouragement to local companies in the sector.
The policy aims to foster a vibrant, stimulated and well informed community of digital creatives through supporting the establishment of 100 KAVGC companies, creating 15,000 jobs, and establishing over 120 training institutes.
E-Commerce Laws
Establishes e-commerce regulations for businesses not previously covered by the law, including e-pharmacies, e-tutoring, e-groceries, e-taxis, e-bikes, e-food chains, online air, rail, bus ticketing services, online hotel or tour booking platforms, e-payment services, e-deliveries, e-buying and selling platforms, OTT services, and app stores
Requires payment systems to store data having to do with electronic payments within India only
Includes the term "cloud services" in the definition under Section 2(17) of ‘online information and database access or retrieval services’ as an electronic service
Regulates and supervises payment systems in India, including electronic funds transfers
Cyber Security Laws
Sets guidelines for cyber security frameworks for banks, requiring that all Urban Cooperative Banks put in place a cyber security policy
Sets baseline cyber security and resilience requirements for banks, provides information on setting up cyber security operation centres, and establishes a template for reporting cyber incidents to the RBI
Provides regulations on cyber crimes, data security, digital signatures, electronic commerce, including the granting of legal sanction to e-commerce transactions and the prohibition of breaches of confidentiality and privacy
Online Content Laws
Prevent internet providers from interfering with online content, including prohibiting offense such as blocking, throttling, and zero-rating
Permits the government to block access to information online when necessary to protect the sovereignty of India and guarantee national security, friendly relations with foreign states, and to prevent the incitement of violence
Criminalizes speech that is found to be obscene, defamatory, or that incites violence
Data Privacy Laws
Establishes an obligation for firms and organizations to take proper steps to ensure the protection of personal data,and deals with the grounds for processing of data, the transfer of data outside of India, associated penalties for misuse of data, and measures for transparency
Established under the Information Technology Act of 2000, these rules set regulations on how companies collect, disclose, and transfer sensitive personal data and information
Emerging Tech Laws
Creates framework to register currently non-compliant drones through the DigitalSky platform
Requires registration of all drones over a certain size, establishes areas in which drones are not allowed to fly, and establishes the Digital Sky Platform, which operates as an air traffic controller for drones
Prohibits entities regulated by the Reserve Bank of India from dealing in virtual currencies or providing services for facilitating the dealing of virtual currencies
Establishes biometric identification database for Indian citizens - On which the India Stack is built
Outlines regulations on licensing requirements for ride-hailing platforms
Recent Developments