India’s Setting New Rules for the Digital Space, but Why?

Another week, another rulebook for India’s digital economy this time, a competition code. The Digital Competition Bill (DCB) would flip enforcement from ex-post litigation to ex-ante guardrails for “systemically significant” platforms, banning self-preferencing, data misuse against business users, coercive tying, and stealth blocks on interoperability under the CCI, not a new super-regulator. It’s meant to supplement the Competition Act, not replace it. In this episode Kazim Rizvi, Founding Director of The Dialogue, a public policy think-tank, tells Anirban Chowdhury that India may not need a new statute now: first test the 2023 Competition Act amendments (settlements/commitments), build capacity, and let case outcomes prove speed and effectiveness citing the CCI’s recent 12-month Google Android TV matter as evidence that ex-post can work with resources.He also brings data from The Dialogue’s survey of MSMEs using digital platforms to show the rules may hobble Indian digital-first firms. Ex-ante code now or sharper ex-post tools first? Tune in: You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: Twitter and LinkedinCheck out other interesting episodes from the host like: Tariffs trump trade, Health Hazards in your Grocery Bag, Trump vs Harvard: India Impact, Explaining India’s Record FDI Freefall and much more.Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.