Multinationals in a diverse range of sectors look to Khaitan & Co.‘s multidisciplinary data protection team for assistance with the gamut of advisory matters. The team continues to have an input in the government’s national legislative work on the digital laws front, a complex area still working its way through the domestic courts. Along with core, day-to-day data security advice, the team also excels in matters relating to major transactional matters; for example, co-chair of the practice Supratim Chakraborty led advice to Axis Bank on the complex privacy and data protection elements of its $1.6bn acquisition of the consumer businesses of Citibank India. He was supported by principal associate Sumantra Bose and associate Tashi Gyanee, while in coordinating the department his partner is Harsh Walia, a sought-after counsel for expertise in data privacy and data security laws, as well as issues emanating from cross-border transfers of data.

Forming part of its leading TMT practice, the Bengaluru-based data protection department at Trilegal is a popular choice of counsel for a large crop of multinationals, which turn to the team for advice on cross-border data transfers, monitoring of compliance with domestic regulations, and any issues arising from potential data breaches. Recent new client to the firm Toyota instructed the firm to assess data privacy implications of a new technology it is implementing to monitor illegal activity in cabs. Jyotsna Jayaram, one of the trio of lawyers that lead the team, was the main contact for Toyota, supported by senior associate Thomas Vallianeth. One of the firm’s founding partners Rahul Matthan co-leads the department with Jayaram and Nikhil Narendran, while counsel Jishnu Sanyal is another name to note, particularly in the technology space for fintech companies and gaming start-ups.

Stephen Mathias spearheads the data protection practice at Kochhar & Co., which sits within the firm's notable technology law department. The team is a go-to for a number of international law firms when referring work from multinational clients needing advice on the Indian market. Recent changes to the law on breach notifications have kept the team busy, as has its regular advice on data privacy compliance, as the domestic bill on this matter has remained delayed through the court system. Mathias leads on all of the firm’s data privacy work, supported by cybersecurity expert Arun Babu. Naqeeb Ahmed Kazia left the firm in October 2021.

The dedicated privacy and data protection team at Nishith Desai Associates takes an industry-focused approach in advising multinational clients on various requirements under data protection law in India and its interplay with GDPR and other international rulings in the field. In Mumbai, Gowree Gokhale co-heads the team and is also the head of the technology and pharmaceuticals departments, while Aarushi Jain specialises in the technology and media sectors. Rounding out the trio of practice heads is Huzefa Tavawalla, who is based in Bengaluru. Associate Aaron Kamath is the lead contact for the TMT and regulatory practice and assists with the range of data privacy matters.

Samvad Partners continues to be regularly involved in India’s burgeoning data privacy market. Having guided clients through the implementation of the European GDPR and the Indian PDP Bill regulations, the team has recently supported various companies with non-personal data regulation. A trio of lawyers jointly coordinate the department: in Bengaluru, TMT experts Nivedita Nivargi and Neela Badami keep clients in those sectors abreast of the latest data privacy regulations, while Rohan George in Chennai approaches this area of law from a background in IP, with experience assisting clients since the introduction of data protection rules under the Information Technology Act in 2011. Natasha Mahajan has a particular interest in the interplay between finance and technology, and at the senior associate level, Kevin Robin and Nivedita Udupa are further names to note. Associate Sriya Sridhar‘s broad practice includes advising on GDPR compliance, cross-border data transfers and privacy risk assessments.