THE FUTURE IS HERE

AI in India's legal sector – with Namita Viswanath

In this episode of Monday Bagel, I had the pleasure of speaking with Namita Viswanath, a partner at Indus Law and one of India’s top-ranked technology lawyers (Legal 500, Asia Law). Namita leads the technology law practice at Indus Law, specializing in AI, machine learning, data privacy, and the evolving landscape of legal tech.

Together, we explore how AI is reshaping India’s legal sector—from its adoption and real-world applications to regulatory gaps and upcoming legislation. India is one of the most hyper-dynamic AI markets in the world, rapidly developing AI-powered solutions with minimal regulation. This makes the intersection of law, technology, and policy particularly fascinating.

🧠 Key Topics Covered:

✅ How AI is currently used in India’s legal sector—key tools and technologies transforming legal work.
✅ The regulatory landscape—how India is approaching AI governance and why there’s still no AI law in place.
✅ The Digital India Act—what it means for AI regulation and what legal professionals should expect.
✅ The impact of AI on legal practice—will AI replace lawyers, or will it empower them?
✅ Privacy and data protection—how India’s new Digital Personal Data Protection Act intersects with AI.
✅ Legal ethics & AI use by lawyers—are there any guidelines, and how do lawyers navigate AI responsibly?
✅ Future of AI in Indian law—how legal AI tools will evolve, and what India can learn from global AI governance.

India’s approach to AI regulation differs from Europe and the US, and this discussion provides valuable insights into how one of the world’s largest legal markets is adapting to AI-driven change. This episode is a must-watch for lawyers, policymakers, and AI professionals.

📌 Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction: AI & law in India
00:50 – How AI is used in India’s legal sector
03:00 – AI tools & ethical concerns in legal practice
05:30 – India’s AI regulatory landscape, Digital India Act & the future of AI law in India
06:20 – Internal bar regulations regarding AI
07:30 – Will AI replace lawyers? Disruption vs. augmentation
11:00 – Privacy & data protection: The role of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act
14:55 – Timeline for India’s new data protection laws
15:30 – The future of AI & law in India: Next 5 years
16:40 – AI & intellectual property rights: Emerging case law
18:35 – Closing thoughts & call to action

🎥 Watch the full episode now!
📚 Interested in India’s AI & law development? Share your thoughts in the comments!