Google appoints former Niti Aayog official Archana Gulati as India policy head: Report
Gulati has been in the Indian government for a long time, serving as a joint secretary for digital communications at Modi's federal think tank, Niti Aayog, which is essential to the government's policymaking across sectors.
FollowAlphabet Inc's Google has hired Archana Gulati, who formerly worked at the Indian government think tank Niti Aayog, as its new public policy head in India, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. A number of Indian government employees have been hired by large internet firms that are facing harsher data and privacy regulations, as well as competition law scrutiny, under the Modi administration.
Gulati has been in the Indian government for a long time, serving as a joint secretary for digital communications at Modi's federal think tank, Niti Aayog, which is essential to the government's policymaking across sectors.
According to her LinkedIn page, she formerly served as a senior official at India's antitrust regulator, the Competition Commission of India, between 2014 and 2016.
Also Read | Google is killing call recording apps on Android phones from May 11
A Google India official confirmed the news to Reuters but declined to comment. Gulati did not reply quickly to a request for comment. The source declined to be identified because the hiring decision had not been made public.
India's antitrust regulator is now investigating Google's business practises in the smart TV sector, as well as its Android operating system and in-app payments system. Meta Platforms Inc appointed Rajiv Aggarwal, who formerly worked in India's federal and state governments, as its head of policy last year.
Also Read | Google launches 'Switch to Android' app to help users easily transfer data from an iPhone
Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., has announced the opening of its first Africa product development centre in Nairobi, Kenya, as it prepares to serve the continent's growing number of internet users. According to the California-based firm, the continent will have 800 million internet users and one-third of the world's teenage population by the end of this decade, making it an interesting investment area.
Also Read | Google to set up first product development centre in Africa's Nairobi
