India's Stand on Digital Competition: A New Era or Slow Transition?

The Union Minister Harsh Malhotra announced that the Digital Competition Bill (DCB) will follow due process with over 100 suggestions received during public consultations. A report from MEITY is awaited, and the best practices from countries like Japan and Europe will be considered for the Indian market.

The Union Minister Harsh Malhotra declared on Sunday that the Digital Competition Bill (DCB) will be enacted following due diligence. The draft, which was open for public consultation, attracted over 100 suggestions. The bill, spearheaded by the corporate affairs ministry last year, is set to reshape India's digital competition landscape.

Minister of State for Corporate Affairs, Harsh Malhotra, conveyed the importance of thoughtful deliberation, emphasizing that a report from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) is still awaited to ensure comprehensive legislation.

Addressing the National Conference on Economics of Competition Law, Malhotra hinted at integrating successful strategies from countries such as Japan, Australia, and Europe, into India's digital framework. The DCB proposes new proactive measures to address competitive behaviors by large digital companies, marking a shift from the current model which focuses on post-incident interventions by the Competition Commission of India.

(With inputs from agencies.)