India has taken a significant step toward strengthening digital privacy governance with the activation of the Consent Manager registration framework under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, effective November 13, 2026.
MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan launched the online registration portal, dpbi.gov.in, enabling eligible Indian companies to apply for recognition as Consent Managers through the Data Protection Board of India.
The initiative introduces a regulated mechanism allowing individuals, legally defined as Data Principals, to exercise greater control over how organizations collect, process, and retain their personal information.
Registered Consent Managers will provide accessible, transparent, and interoperable platforms through which individuals can grant, review, manage, or withdraw consent across participating digital services.
Importantly, Consent Managers will remain accountable to Data Principals, reinforcing the principle that individuals should retain meaningful control over their personal information.
Eligibility requirements include incorporation in India, adequate technical and operational capabilities, and a minimum net worth of ₹2 crore, establishing financial and institutional safeguards.
The Data Protection Board will evaluate applications against prescribed requirements before granting registration. Approved Consent Managers will be publicly listed, promoting transparency and regulatory oversight.
From an industry perspective, the framework creates opportunities for privacy technology providers, cybersecurity companies, system integrators, and managed service providers offering consent orchestration and compliance solutions.
However, successful implementation will depend on interoperability, secure consent records, withdrawal mechanisms, independent accountability, and integration with existing enterprise applications. Registration alone cannot guarantee effective privacy protection.
The larger opportunity lies in transforming privacy compliance into digital trust. With major Data Principal rights, Data Fiduciary obligations, and enforcement provisions scheduled for May 13, 2027, enterprises must accelerate readiness. Consent management should become a foundational component of India's evolving digital economy, enabling responsible data usage while strengthening individual rights, accountability, and confidence in digital services. For more information:http://dpbi.gov.in/
