Compare requirements across 12 critical areas
India residents globally - extraterritorial reach
Saudi Arabia residents and businesses
44 sections - concise, principle-based
Based on GDPR framework - more detailed
Primarily consent-based with limited exceptions
Consent and legitimate interests
5 data principal rights
7 data subject rights (closer to GDPR)
No mandatory registration with Data Protection Board
Mandatory SDAIA registration for controllers
18 years - verifiable parental consent required
18 years - parental consent for minors
Up to ₹250 crores (~$30M USD)
SAR 5M (~$1.3M) or 2% annual revenue
Data Protection Board of India - centralized
Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA)
Cross-border transfer restrictions - government approval required
Data localization with SDAIA approval for transfers
Must notify Data Protection Board - timeline TBD
72 hours to SDAIA - specific timeline defined
Free, specific, informed, unconditional, unambiguous - very strict
Consent must be clear and specific
Enacted August 2023 - rules being finalized
Effective March 2023 - guidance evolving
Both are newer, consent-focused frameworks
PDPL requires mandatory SDAIA registration and has defined 72-hour breach notification. DPDP has higher maximum penalties but no registration requirement.
PDPL offers more comprehensive individual rights (7 vs 5), while DPDP has stricter consent requirements and higher potential fines.
Both laws are influenced by GDPR but adapted for their jurisdictions. PDPL more closely follows GDPR structure, while DPDP takes a more concise, principle-based approach.
In ReadyGDPR, DPDP is adoptable with its own control catalogue (31 controls). PDPL is covered as a reference guide only and cannot be adopted in the product.
ReadyGDPR is software, not an appointed Data Protection Officer. If Article 37 requires you to appoint one, ReadyGDPR helps them do the job — it doesn’t replace them.