“In itself, the ban is neither unique nor surprising. India is not the only country who is thinking on these lines. It is a global trend where countries are becoming more careful about safeguarding their citizens’ data. Different countries adopt different mechanisms. There is no to-do manual on protecting citizen’s personal data. As Indian use of smartphones heads towards 442 million in 2022, with the wide availability of cheap data plans, India is recognising the risk to personal data of its citizens. In China, many large companies, including telecom, OTT and others, are closely linked with the state. This obviously raises red flags for nations when it comes to data of its citizens. Time will only tell whether India was the first mover or the only country taking such a decision.” Sajai Singh, Partner at J Sagar Associates