A case for regulator-backed open-source tools

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The Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA / DPDP Act) was enacted on 11 August 2023, but the Government notified the subordinate DPDP Rules only on 14 November 2025, a gap of roughly 27 months between the Act and full rules. This long lag delayed clarity on many operational requirements.

The notified rules come into force in phases, some rules immediate, and others after 12 or 18 months. This means that organisations must plan for multiple milestones rather than a single goal, which increases project complexity and cost.

A survey by PwC suggests that a mere 16% of consumers and 9% of organisations surveyed understand DPDPA comprehensively. An EY survey also suggests that only 50% of the surveyed organisations have the required skill set to implement DPDPA.

The prevalence of open-source tools that implement the best practices for compliance with a regulatory framework make it easier and cost-effective for smaller organisations. This could include tools for Access Control, Governance, Consent Management, Data Classification, Auditing, or Impact Analysis.

Without structures support from the regulatory body, smaller organisations incapable of reasonably affording paid compliance consulting firms like Sprinto, or Vanta are effectively left in the dark when attempting to operationalize regulatory requirements. the implementation of these regulations.

The European Data Protection Board, and CNIL recognise that clear, implementable guidance must be paired with practical, accessible tools. As a result, they openly publish regulator-maintained software, such as the EDPB’s Website Auditing Tool and CNIL’s PIA (DPIA) Tool, which organisations of any size can use to audit systems, assess risks, and align with legal obligations.

India’s regulatory landscape is evolving rapidly, but without regulator-backed open-source tooling, compliance remains disproportionately difficult for smaller organisations and startups. Open-source reference implementations are not a luxury, they are essential infrastructure for fair, scalable, and enforceable data-protection governance.