Discourse over the proposed Digital Competition Bill transpired during MNLU Mumbai's national consultation workshop, featuring the participation of experienced analysts.
On August 23, 2025, the Mahararashtra National Law University Mumbai's Centre for Information Communication Technology and Law (CICTL) hosted a National Virtual Consultation Workshop titled 'Building a Balanced Framework for India's Digital Competition Law'. The event brought together distinguished panelists and stakeholders from around the world to discuss and deliberate on the regulatory framework for digital markets in light of the proposed Digital Competition Bill.
The inaugural session was graced by the presence of Justice Anish Dayal from the Delhi High Court, who discussed the long-term implications of artificial intelligence (AI) on market regulation. Sharad Sharma, co-founder of iSPRIT, served as the keynote speaker and spoke on digital public infrastructure and the role of citizen agency in building fair and competitive digital ecosystems.
The first session was moderated by Anupam Sanghi, who brought up the evidentiary role of data in digital competition regulation. Odie Strydom, Founder of Betweenity, highlighted issues found in South Africa's market inquiries into online intermediation platforms, such as Google's self-referencing practices and discriminatory conduct by property service platforms.
The discussions placed India's draft Digital Competition Bill in a broader international context, particularly in relation to frameworks such as the EU's Digital Markets Act. Professor Giorgio Monti, from Tilburg University, emphasized the need for regulatory coordination to avoid case duplication. Amber Darr, Senior Research Fellow at Centre for Law, Economics & Society, University College London, discussed divergent experiences of nations like Taiwan, Korea, and Japan in digital regulation.
Professor Shilpi Bhattacharya, from Jindal Global Law School, shared findings on the WhatsApp Privacy case, focusing on the lack of transparency in data collection and absence of consumer choice due to WhatsApp's coercive terms of service. Dr Darr's comparative analysis focused on the varying levels of success and resistance faced by nations in their regulatory efforts.
The second session was a Panel Discussion, where Prof Vishwanath Pingali analysed platform competition using behavioural economics. Thomas Hoppner, Partner at Geradin Partners, emphasized the need for effective remedies to address the abuse of dominance. Professor Giorgio Monti further elaborated on the need for regulatory coordination.
The third session was a Stakeholder Roundtable session, inviting distinguished stakeholders from around the world to engage directly with the panel and explore solutions to critical issues related to the subject matter under discussion. Dr Lalit Bhasin, Dr Geeta Gouri, Dr Vijay Kumar Singh, and Prof Vishwanath Pingali were among the dignitaries present who contributed to the deliberations.
Dr Gouri spoke on the rise of 'data markets' and the challenges faced by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in adapting to the digital economy. Dr Singh took up the persistent debate picked by dominant players over ex-ante regulations, where rules are imposed prior to the harms caused.
No information is available about who delivered the opening speech at the workshop. However, the event underscored the need for a regulatory framework that protects innovation, ensures consumer welfare, and strengthens India's role in the global digital economy. The workshop concluded with a call to action for continued dialogue and collaboration to shape India's digital competition law.
