NITI Aayog urges risk-based deregulation; Digital Competition Bill still under review

NITI Aayog member Rajiv Gauba called for principle-led, risk-based deregulation, while saying the proposed Digital Competition Bill remains under consideration. Any eventual framework could shape compliance and competition rules for large digital commerce platforms, fintechs, shopkeepers and MSMEs.

— Source publishedThu, 10 Sept, 2026, 13:48 IST·First seen Fri, 11 Sept, 2026, 01:11 IST·Source Medianama

What happened

NITI Aayog member Rajiv Gauba called for risk-based, principle-led deregulation and said the Digital Competition Bill remains under consideration, with

Key facts

  • 10-year

What changed

NITI Aayog member Rajiv Gauba called for risk-based, principle-led deregulation and said the Digital Competition Bill remains under consideration, with implications for large digital commerce platforms, fintechs, shopkeepers and MSMEs in India.

Why this matters

Retail operators should monitor the Digital Competition Bill review, as a risk-based approach could eventually ease some compliance burdens without any confirmed rule changes yet.

What to watch

  • Release of a revised Digital Competition Bill, consultation paper or cabinet-approved draft.
  • Definition and thresholds for designation of large digital enterprises, especially user, turnover, transaction-value or market-capitalisation criteria.
  • Whether provisions address self-preferencing, anti-steering, data combination, sideloading, default settings, price-parity clauses or preferential seller arrangements.
  • NITI Aayog recommendations translating into formal Ministry of Corporate Affairs, CCI or DPIIT policy proposals.
  • CCI investigations or orders involving marketplaces, app stores, quick-commerce platforms, payment firms or online advertising ecosystems.