India's Ministry of Social Justice Releases Draft Accessibility Rules to Strengthen Digital Inclusion

Ministry of Social Justice released draft accessibility rules that seek to codify digital inclusion standards for public and private sector platforms across India, marking a formal step toward operationalizing the country's disability rights commitments.

RPwD Amendment 2026 introduces a new Accessibility Conformance Regime, detailing compliance timelines, mandatory accessibility statements, and penalties for non‑compliance, as outlined in legal briefings that summarize the key takeaways of the amendment.

The India Forum analysis highlights an implementation gap, noting that while the draft promises robust enforcement, past experience shows limited monitoring capacity and uneven adoption among smaller enterprises and regional authorities.

Legal experts from Mondaq and Prime Legal stress that aligning the new rules with international standards such as WCAG will be crucial for Indian businesses to avoid litigation and to ensure equitable access for persons with disabilities nationwide.