Navigating Regulation of Virtual Digital Assets in India: RTD NLSIU Edition
The Law and Technology Society (L-Tech), NLSIU, in collaboration with the JSW Centre for the Future of Law (JSW CFL) and the Ethereum Foundation under the Road to Devcon (RTD) University Programme, invites you to a panel discussion on the evolving regulatory landscape governing Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs) in India.
As the use of cryptocurrencies, blockchain-based assets, and other forms of virtual digital assets continues to expand, India’s regulatory approach remains an evolving and contested space. Recent developments, including the recommendation of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance for an interim Self-Regulatory Organisation (SRO) for the VDA sector, have renewed discussions on how the sector should be regulated.
The panel will examine the emerging regulatory framework for VDAs in India and consider the challenges involved in designing an effective regulatory architecture. The discussion will bring together perspectives from law, policy, economics, technology, and the VDA industry, with particular attention to questions surrounding self-regulation, consumer protection, technological innovation, market integrity, and the role of the State in regulating a rapidly evolving ecosystem.
Key Themes
The discussion will broadly explore:
The current regulatory framework governing VDAs in India;
The rationale and implications of introducing an SRO framework for the VDA sector;
Regulatory challenges arising from the decentralised and technologically complex nature of VDAs;
Balancing innovation and technological development with investor and consumer protection;
The role of industry-led regulation and institutional oversight; and
The broader legal, economic, and policy implications of regulating VDAs in India.
Panel
Mr Jaideep Reddy
Partner, Technology, Media and Telecommunications Practice, Trilegal
Dr Sathvik Vishwanath
Co-Founder & CEO, Unocoin
Prof Yogesh Simmhan
Professor, Department of Computational and Data Sciences, Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
Prof Damodaran Appukuttan Nair
Visiting Professor, Ahmedabad University; Senior Visiting Professor, ICRIER
Moderator:
Prof Isha Ahlawat
Assistant Professor (Law), National Law School of India University
Event Details
Date: 5 September 2026
Time: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Venue: Conference Hall, Ground Floor, Training Centre, NLSIU
The event is open to the entire NLS community. Members of the NLS community interested in attending are requested to indicate their interest through the form provided on this event page. The responses will help us gauge attendance and make the necessary arrangements for the session.