The Delhi High Court on Wednesday pressed the Central government to clarify how it intends to deal with privacy and security concerns linked to the Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek. The Bench, led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, made it clear that such issues cannot be ignored until they turn into a crisis.
The direction came during a hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Bhavna Sharma, who argued that AI tools developed in foreign jurisdictions-especially those like DeepSeek-could compromise personal data and even threaten India’s digital sovereignty. Sharma sought the formulation of a clear policy framework to either regulate or restrict access to such platforms that might misuse Indian users’ information.
During the proceedings, the Bench appeared visibly concerned about the potential misuse of AI-driven platforms. Chief Justice Upadhyaya observed,
“You have to take instructions. This is an issue that must be tackled at the initial stage itself. How is the ministry going to handle it?” The judges noted that the threat was not merely speculative but a fast-approaching reality given the rapid pace of technological development.
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The Court also reminded the Central Government Standing Counsel, Ishkaran Bhandari, that such matters touch the very core of India’s digital integrity and cannot be left for later consideration.
Granting time to the government to seek instructions from the concerned ministry, the Bench directed that the matter be listed along with other pending petitions concerning AI regulation and cybersecurity.
The case will now come up in the next hearing for further directions.
Case Title: Bhavna Sharma v. Union of India & Ors
Hearing Date: 29 October 2025
