New Delhi | Special Correspondent: The Delhi High Court has sought a detailed response from the Central Government over potential privacy and national security risks posed by DeepSeek, an AI-powered chatbot developed in China, amid growing global concerns about data sovereignty and algorithmic surveillance.
The court’s intervention came after a public interest litigation (PIL) alleged that DeepSeek and other foreign AI systems may be collecting and transferring sensitive data of Indian users to servers located in China, potentially compromising India’s digital security. The petitioner urged the government to establish a clear regulatory mechanism for screening and approving AI-based platforms, especially those of foreign origin.
During the hearing, the bench emphasized that such concerns must be addressed at an early stage to avoid larger security complications in the future. “Issues linked to user privacy, algorithmic manipulation, and national security cannot be dealt with in hindsight—they must be anticipated and managed proactively,” the court observed.
Government counsel informed the court that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is already framing comprehensive AI governance guidelines under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and is considering a licensing and compliance framework for foreign AI platforms operating in India.
The High Court directed the Centre to file a detailed affidavit within four weeks, outlining both existing safeguards and upcoming regulatory measures for managing AI technologies that handle Indian user data.
Preliminary investigations by cyber experts have indicated that AI tools like DeepSeek may access vast troves of personal data through conversational interactions, raising concerns about data mining, profiling, and potential misuse for intelligence purposes.
A senior cybersecurity analyst said, “This is a defining moment for India’s AI governance strategy. Platforms trained and hosted abroad should not have unrestricted access to Indian data without clear oversight. Digital sovereignty is as important as physical security.”
The PIL has reignited the debate over how India should balance technological innovation with data protection and national security. As the world’s fastest-growing digital economy, India is increasingly seen as a crucial testing ground for AI systems — but experts warn that unchecked adoption could open doors to foreign surveillance and influence operations.
With the court’s sharp observations and the Centre’s upcoming policy framework, the government is under pressure to build a secure, transparent, and accountable AI ecosystem—one that encourages innovation while protecting citizens’ privacy and the nation’s digital sovereignty.
