
DPIA Under DPDP Act India — When Is It Mandatory? Complete Guide for Significant Data Fiduciaries 2026
Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) are mandatory under India’s DPDP Act 2023 only for Significant Data Fiduciaries (SDFs) designated by the Central Government under Section 10. Rule 12 of the DPDP Rules 2025 requires an annual DPIA every 12 months, alongside an independent data audit. This guide covers who qualifies as an SDF, what the DPIA must include, the 12-month cycle, comparison with GDPR Article 35, and why non-SDF organisations should conduct voluntary DPIAs for high-risk processing.



