Meta India Shake-Up: 7 Shocking Challenges Fueling Big Tech’s Policy Crisis

Meta’s India public policy head, Shivnath Thukral, has stepped down after nearly eight years, marking the second major exit of a tech policy leader in the country this year—following Google India’s Sreenivasa Reddy. His departure comes at a critical time as Meta faces tightening regulations, including data privacy laws, antitrust scrutiny, and telecom industry pushback over WhatsApp’s dominance. Thukral played a key role in navigating high-stakes battles, such as WhatsApp’s overturned data-sharing ban, but leaves behind a leadership gap as India prepares stricter digital rules.

The trend highlights the growing pressure on Big Tech to balance rapid growth with compliance in one of its largest markets. Without a successor, Meta must now tackle regulatory hurdles—from content moderation demands to potential age-gating laws—amid rising government scrutiny. The exits suggest seasoned executives are struggling to reconcile Silicon Valley’s ambitions with India’s evolving policy landscape. For Meta and Google, the challenge is finding leaders who can turn regulatory friction into sustainable strategy—or risk losing ground in a market they can’t afford to ignore.

Meta India Shake-Up: 7 Shocking Challenges Fueling Big Tech’s Policy Crisis

Meta’s head of public policy in India, Shivnath Thukral, has stepped down after nearly eight years with the company, marking the second high-profile departure of a tech policy leader in the country this year. His exit follows Google India’s public policy head, Sreenivasa Reddy, who resigned in February—raising questions about the shifting regulatory landscape and its impact on global tech giants.  

A Legacy of Navigating Complex Policy Battles 

Thukral played a pivotal role in steering Meta through India’s evolving digital regulations, including the high-stakes battle over WhatsApp’s 2021 privacy policy, which initially drew a five-year ban from antitrust authorities before being overturned. His tenure also saw Meta grapple with demands from Indian telecom operators, who accuse WhatsApp of cannibalizing traditional SMS and call revenues while dodging regulatory obligations.  

In a LinkedIn post, Thukral expressed confidence in his team’s ability to handle future challenges, noting that Meta’s policy engagement in India is at a “creditable and constructive juncture.” Yet his departure leaves a leadership vacuum at a critical time—just as India prepares to implement stricter data privacy laws, including potential age-gating and parental consent requirements for minors.  

Why Big Tech’s India Policy Chiefs Are Walking Away 

Thukral and Reddy’s exits highlight the mounting pressures on tech companies in India, which combines massive growth potential with increasingly assertive regulators. Key challenges include:  

• Antitrust Scrutiny: Both Meta and Google face ongoing investigations over alleged anti-competitive practices.  

• Data Localization & Privacy: New laws could force costly compliance over user data storage and child safety measures.  

• Telecom Tensions: WhatsApp’s dominance in messaging has sparked backlash from carriers demanding “fair share” revenue models.  

• Content Moderation: Platforms face criticism for failing to curb misinformation and spam, despite policy updates. 

What’s Next for Meta in India? 

Meta has yet to name Thukral’s successor, mirroring Google’s unresolved vacancy. The delay suggests a broader struggle to find executives capable of balancing corporate interests with India’s hardening regulatory stance.  

Kevin Martin, Meta’s global policy head, praised Thukral’s contributions but sidestepped questions about the company’s next steps. For now, Meta’s India team must navigate looming privacy laws and antitrust rulings without a policy chief—a risky move in a market where regulatory missteps can trigger sweeping penalties.  

The Bigger Picture: A Test for Tech Giants 

India’s digital economy is too lucrative to ignore (WhatsApp alone has 500M+ users there), but its regulatory environment is becoming a minefield. Thukral’s exit underscores a growing trend: seasoned policy leaders are exiting amid unsustainable pressure to reconcile Silicon Valley’s growth-first ethos with local compliance demands.  

For Meta and Google, the path forward hinges on three imperatives:  

• Rebuilding Policy Leadership with executives who understand India’s political and legal nuances.  

• Proactive Engagement with regulators to shape—rather than resist—emerging rules.  

• Investing in Trust through transparency on data practices and content moderation. 

As Thukral moves on, his successor will inherit a role that’s less about lobbying and more about survival in one of the world’s most complex tech markets.