DPDPA Guide — Plain English for Indian Businesses
Everything you need to understand the Digital Personal Data Protection Act — without a law degree. Start with the basics or jump to the topic most relevant to you.
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Key Reference Documents
DPDP Act 2023 — Full Text
The complete Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 — all 9 chapters, 44 sections, and the Penalty Schedule — official text with plain-English summaries.
DPDP Rules 2025: Plain-English Guide
Every Rule and Schedule under the DPDP Rules, 2025 explained in plain English — section by section, in the same order as the official text.
What is DPDPA?
An overview of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 — why it was passed, what it governs, and what it means for Indian businesses.
Who Does It Apply To?
DPDPA applies to any entity processing personal data of Indian citizens. Find out whether your business is covered and to what extent.
Must Learn: Key Terms
Data Fiduciary, Data Principal, Data Processor, Significant Data Fiduciary — all the DPDPA vocabulary you need, explained plainly.
Consent Under DPDPA
What valid consent looks like, how to collect it, what makes consent invalid, and how to design compliant consent flows for your forms and website.
Notice Requirements
Every data collection must be accompanied by a clear notice. Learn what a DPDPA-compliant notice must include and how to implement it.
Rights of Individuals
Data Principals have rights to access, correct, and erase their data. Learn what these rights are and how your business must respond.
Duties of Businesses
What Data Fiduciaries must do: security safeguards, data minimisation, purpose limitation, processor agreements, and more.
Children's Data
DPDPA has special provisions for data of minors. If you process data of anyone under 18, this section is mandatory reading.
Data Breach Basics
What constitutes a breach, notification timelines, who to notify, and how to build a basic incident response capability.
Data Retention and Deletion
How long can you keep personal data? What are the rules around deletion? Learn to define and document your retention policies.
Cross-Border Considerations
Transferring personal data outside India? Understand the permitted destinations framework and what cross-border flows require.
Myth vs Fact
Common misconceptions about DPDPA — including who needs to comply, what counts as consent, and whether SMEs are exempt.
Penalties Under DPDPA
Understand the 7-item Penalty Schedule — who can be fined, how much, and under what circumstances. Includes a free Penalty Risk Indicator tool.
DPDPA Glossary — 50 Key Terms
Every key term from the Act and Rules — Data Principal, Data Fiduciary, Deemed Consent, Penalty Schedule, and more — with exact section references.
DPDPA Compliance Checklist — 90 Controls
Statutory and operational controls across 27 sections — applicability, consent, notice, rights, breach, SDF obligations, and evidence requirements. Based on DPDPA Act 2023 + DPDP Rules 2025.