India’s IT Ministry Proposes Privacy-Focused Data Framework for AI Training

The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has proposed a framework aimed at streamlining data access for AI training. Known as the Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA) for AI training, the initiative is designed to provide startups and research institutions with access to large-scale datasets while maintaining strict privacy standards.

The framework utilizes secure computing environments, referred to as "clean rooms," which allow organizations to process data without transferring or exposing raw datasets. It also incorporates differential privacy techniques and electronic contracts to enforce data-sharing rules, ensuring compliance with India's Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act.

Under this system, training data providers, such as banks or government agencies, register anonymized data on an exchange platform. Consumers can request access, which is subject to automated policy checks. Following training, all AI models must undergo independent audits for fairness, bias, and security. This proposal follows recent efforts by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the national IndiaAI initiative to establish a robust governance structure for artificial intelligence in the country.