Yazılar

India Tribunal Lifts WhatsApp Data-Sharing Ban but Upholds Meta’s $25 Million Fine

/in /tarafından

An Indian appeals tribunal has overturned a five-year ban preventing WhatsApp from sharing user data with other Meta-owned entities but upheld a $25.4 million fine, delivering a mixed verdict for the U.S. tech giant.

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) ruled on Tuesday that the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) 2024 order lacked sufficient justification for restricting data sharing, calling the regulator’s rationale “missing altogether.” However, it agreed with the CCI’s finding that Meta had abused its market dominance by imposing unfair terms on users.

WhatsApp had challenged the CCI’s ban, warning it could have been forced to roll back certain features if the restriction remained. Meta, in turn, argued that the watchdog lacked the technical expertise to assess the implications of its decision.

The dispute dates back to 2021, when changes to WhatsApp’s privacy policy sparked widespread backlash in India. Regulators accused the company of pressuring users to accept new data-sharing terms or risk losing access to the platform.

A Meta spokesperson said the company is reviewing the tribunal’s written order and reiterated that the 2021 privacy update “did not change the privacy of people’s personal messages, which remain end-to-end encrypted.”

India is Meta’s largest market globally, with hundreds of millions of users across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram — making the ruling a critical development for the company’s operations in the country.

Coinbase invests in India’s CoinDCX at $2.45 billion valuation

/in /tarafından

Coinbase Global announced on Wednesday that it has made a new investment in CoinDCX, valuing the Indian cryptocurrency exchange at $2.45 billion post-money. The move strengthens Coinbase’s presence in the South Asian crypto market, where India remains a growing hub for blockchain and digital assets.

The investment marks another step in Coinbase’s long-term partnership with CoinDCX, following multiple funding rounds led by its venture arm, Coinbase Ventures. In April 2022, Coinbase Ventures joined a $135 million fundraising round that valued CoinDCX at $2.15 billion.

As of July 2025, CoinDCX reported annualized group revenue of $141 million and $1.2 billion in assets under custody, signaling strong growth despite ongoing regulatory uncertainty in India’s crypto sector.

“We believe India and its neighbors will help shape the future of the global on-chain economy,” said Shan Aggarwal, Coinbase’s chief business officer. He added that the deal remains subject to regulatory approvals and closing conditions.

Coinbase’s latest investment underscores a renewed wave of interest from global exchanges seeking exposure to India’s growing crypto and blockchain ecosystem, even as the country tightens oversight and explores the framework for a digital rupee.

Chevron expands Bengaluru innovation hub to drive digital and AI transformation

/in /tarafından

Chevron has expanded its Engineering and Innovation Excellence Center (ENGINE) in Bengaluru, opening a new 312,000-square-foot facility to boost its digital and AI capabilities. The move marks a major step in the U.S. energy giant’s global effort to streamline operations and leverage India’s deep technology talent pool.

The expansion comes a year after the launch of ENGINE, which consolidates Chevron’s global technical work and supports its target of up to $3 billion in cost savings by 2026. “We were a very decentralized organization until recently,” said Akshay Sahni, Chevron’s India country head. “We use AI to improve machine performance and drilling efficiency—it’s about smarter operations, not just cost cuts.”

Chevron’s focus on Bengaluru reflects the growing importance of India’s STEM and IT ecosystem in the energy transition. The center employs more than 1,000 professionals across disciplines such as mechanical, civil, and petroleum engineering, and plans to invest around $1 billion over the next few years in technology, infrastructure, and workforce development.

The facility features high-performance computing systems for real-time geological modeling and digital twins—virtual replicas of Chevron’s plants that enhance monitoring and maintenance.

Despite global workforce reductions of up to 20%, Chevron emphasized that its India operations are about innovation and future growth. “For now, our focus is on expanding Bengaluru and upskilling our people as technology evolves,” Sahni said.