Durga Priya Manda

Durga has over 10 years of experience advising and representing clients in commercial disputes, domestic and international arbitrations, and matters involving technology regulation and disputes. She has previously worked at Nishith Desai & Associates, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. and AZB & Partners, and was seconded to the APAC Security Legal team at Meta Platforms Inc.

Durga’s practice includes complex cross-border disputes, shareholder and investor-exit disputes, ad hoc and institutional arbitrations, and proceedings before various courts and tribunals. She also advises and represents clients on privacy and data protection, intermediary liability, content and platform regulation, cybersecurity, enforcement actions, and proceedings concerning blocking, takedown, and other regulatory directions. She has advised clients across various sectors, including technology, digital platforms, financial services, telecommunications, infrastructure, and healthcare.

Durga holds an LL.M. from the University of Cambridge and a B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) from the National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata. She writes regularly for Global Arbitration Review, Kluwer Arbitration, and the Supreme Court Observer.

Select Publications

• India Chapter, Global Arbitration Review's Asia-Pacific Arbitration Review (2024).

• India's Territorial Reservation – Referring Parties to Foreign Arbitration, Kluwer Arbitration Blog (2024).

• India to Replace the Information Technology Act with the Proposed Digital India Act: Out with the Old, In with the New?, Kluwer Global Privacy Law Review (2024).

• Decoding the 'S' in 'ESG', Kluwer Business Law Review (2024).

• Generative AI: India's Attempt at Controlling "Deepfakes", Chambers Expert Focus (2024).

• Annulment and Vacatur, Global Arbitration Review's Guide to Investment Treaty Protection (2021, 2023 and 2025).

Select Professional Experience

Outside counsel to the trust and safety team of a leading cloud services provider, advising on intermediary compliance under the IT Act, 2000 and the 2021 Intermediary Rules, responses to government and law enforcement directions, blocking and takedown protocols, cybersecurity incident response and IP-infringement litigations.

Outside product counsel to a leading social media messaging platform on regulatory issues under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 and the UPI/NPCI framework, drafted the terms of service and privacy policy for its integrated UPI product, and advised on data-sharing arrangements

Advised an Indian financial services provider on its data protection obligations under the DPDP Act, 2023 in relation to its integration with a platform provided by a foreign Loan Services Provider.

Advised a global ticket resale marketplace on regulatory concerns raised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under the IT Act, 2000, and represented it in proceedings before the High Court of Delhi seeking to block access to its platform in India.

Represented a prominent Indian telecommunications service provider in a SIAC-administered arbitration against a foreign internet services provider.

Represented a leading television and media conglomerate in a SIAC-administered arbitration against its Indian minority shareholder.

Represented an Indian port company in an investor-exit arbitration administered by the LCIA against its minority shareholder, and in subsequent challenge and execution proceedings before various courts.

Represented leading road infrastructure companies in several ad-hoc domestic arbitrations involving large-scale construction and operation and maintenance contracts with government entities

Represented the majority shareholder of a leading Indian oil and natural gas company in a SIAC-administered arbitration against its Singaporean minority shareholder.

Represented a leading social media platform in a writ petition before the Supreme Court challenging summonses issued by the Delhi Legislative Assembly and advised its policy and legal teams on the related public hearings.

Represented the Indian and Singaporean subsidiaries of a leading Malaysian private healthcare group in multiple disputes with Indian minority shareholders.

Represented a global financial services company in relation to forensic audits sought by a Japanese company seeking enforcement of a foreign arbitral award in India.

Represented a leading renewable energy generator in disputes arising out of a power purchase agreement with a State regulatory authority.