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The 3rd and main DPDP commencement date is computed as 13 May 2027, which is interpretation until officially confirmed.

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Sources last verified on 23 September 2026. Methodology

DPDP Act 2023 · Section 3

Application of Act

Status
Not yet in force
Commencement
13 May 2027 · computed date, presented as interpretation until officially confirmed (how it is computed)
Source
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (Gazette print hosted by MeitY) · Gazette page 3
Last verified
17 August 2026

What section 3 says, in plain English

Plain English

Not yet in force; the computed date is 13 May 2027, which is interpretation until officially confirmed. The summary below is what the provision says, not what is in force today. Status last checked 28 September 2026 against the MeitY library and India Code.

The Act covers digital personal data processed within India, whether collected digitally or digitised later, and processing outside India connected with offering goods or services to Data Principals in India. It does not cover personal or domestic use by an individual, or data the Data Principal or someone legally required has made publicly available.

How 13 May 2027 is computed, and why it could be 1 day later

Publication date 13 November 2025 printed on Gazette issue No. 757, plus eighteen months. The notification states a period rather than a calendar date and does not state how the period is counted. The eGazette record of this same issue carries a code embedding 14112025, which would move the computed date by 1 day; the printed masthead date is used, and the interpretation label carries that uncertainty. CORRECTED 2026-08-25: this note previously also cited the Government's own PIB release for 14 November 2025. That release is about the DPDP Rules, 2025, G.S.R. 846(E) in Gazette issue No. 760, and says nothing about this Act commencement notification, G.S.R. 843(E) in issue No. 757. The missing space in the phrase "section 6,sections 7 to 10" appears as printed in the Gazette text layer.

Official text of section 3

Official requirement · verbatim

Section 3. Application of Act.Subject to the provisions of this Act, it shall— (a) apply to the processing of digital personal data within the territory of India where the personal data is collected–– (i) in digital form; or (ii) in non-digital form and digitised subsequently; (b) also apply to processing of digital personal data outside the territory of India, if such processing is in connection with any activity related to offering of goods or services to Data Principals within the territory of India; (c) not apply to— (i) personal data processed by an individual for any personal or domestic purpose; and (ii) personal data that is made or caused to be made publicly available by — (A) the Data Principal to whom such personal data relates; or (B) any other person who is under an obligation under any law for the time being in force in India to make such personal data publicly available. Illustration. X, an individual, while blogging her views, has publicly made available her personal data on social media. In such case, the provisions of this Act shall not apply.

Commencement basis · Sections 3 to 5, section 6(1) to (8) and (10), sections 7 to 17, section 27 other than section 27(1)(d), sections 28 to 34, sections 36 and 37, and section 44(2) of the Act

“(c) eighteen months from the date of publication of this gazette, on which the provision of sections 3 to 5, sub-sections (1) to (8) and (10) of section 6,sections 7 to 10, sections 11 to 17, section 27 except clause (d) of sub-section (1) of the said section, sections 28 to 34, 36, 37 and sub-section (2) of section 44 of the said Act shall come into force.”

From commencement notification G.S.R. 843(E), Gazette issue No. 757, printed date 13 November 2025.

Sources cited on this page

  1. [1]
    The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (Gazette print hosted by MeitY) (Act No. 22 of 2023), s. 3, p. 3. Published 11 August 2023. Official source ↗ · Official requirement · Verified 17 August 2026Not yet in force; the computed date is 13 May 2027, which is interpretation until officially confirmedSection 3 begins on Gazette page 3 and concludes on page 4.
  2. [2]
    Commencement notification for the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (G.S.R. 843(E)), (c), p. 2. Published 13 November 2025. Official source ↗ Also on MeitY (byte identical) ↗ · Official requirement · Verified 17 August 2026Document status: published; in effect per its own termsNotification G.S.R. 843(E) names this section in the group that comes into force eighteen months from the date of publication of the notification gazette. The computed calendar date, 13 May 2027, is interpretation until officially confirmed.
  3. [3]
    Commencement notification for the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (G.S.R. 843(E)), (c), p. 2. Published 13 November 2025. Official source ↗ Also on MeitY (byte identical) ↗ · Official requirement · Verified 17 August 2026Document status: published; in effect per its own terms
    eighteen months from the date of publication of this gazette, on which the provision of sections 3 to 5, sub-sections (1) to (8) and (10) of section 6,sections 7 to 10, sections 11 to 17, section 27 except clause (d) of sub-section (1) of the said section, sections 28 to 34, 36, 37 and sub-section (2) of section 44 of the said Act shall come into force.
  4. [4]
    Commencement notification for the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (G.S.R. 843(E)), p. 1. Published 13 November 2025. Official source ↗ Also on MeitY (byte identical) ↗ · Interpretation, requires judgment · Verified 17 August 2026Document status: published; in effect per its own termsThe calendar date 13 May 2027 is computed from the printed publication date and is presented as interpretation until officially confirmed. It aligns with the derived date for the main group of the DPDP Rules 2025.