South Asian Technology Law Conclave 2025 by CDIPR

About Centre for Development of Intellectual Property and Research (CDIPR)

The Centre for Development of Intellectual Property and Research (CDIPR) is a premier institution established as India’s First Non-Governmental Research Organisation dedicated to Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). Operating under the Naovina Development of Intellectual Property and Research Foundation as a registered Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), CDIPR is dedicated to promoting and protecting Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) within India, thereby fostering a conducive environment for innovation and creativity.  

In today’s global landscape, where intellectual property serves as a cornerstone for economic growth, technological advancement and cultural development, CDIPR plays a pivotal role in driving forward-thinking policies, research and education. We are a community, Connecting 2200+ Members & 12,300+ Global Academicians on Intellectual Property Rights. Please visit our website (https://cdipr.ac.in) for more details.

About the Conclave

The South Asian Technology Law Conclave, 2025 is a landmark initiative designed to explore the legal, policy, and ethical dimensions of emerging technologies within the South Asian context. Organised by the Centre for Development of Intellectual Property and Research (CDIPR) in association with the Future of Life Institute (FLI) and Cambridge – Teachers of Tomorrow, this conclave represents the first flagship programme underthe 2nd South Asian Global Intellectual Property Summit 2025.

Amidst accelerating innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, Metaverse environments, Quantum Computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT), the regulatory landscape in South Asia remains fragmented and in need of comprehensive discourse.

This conclave seeks to serve as a pioneering platform that brings together legal scholars, technologists, industry leaders, policymakers, and academics to deliberate on the challenges and opportunities these technologies pose.

The event is envisioned as a catalyst for fostering collaboration, driving regional legal harmonization, and laying the groundwork for technology governance rooted in human rights, equity, and digital sovereignty.

Conclave Theme

“Navigating the Future: Technology Law and Policy for a Digital South Asia”

This theme underscores the urgency and relevance of creating legal and policy frameworks that are future-ready, ethically grounded, and sensitive to the diverse social, political, and economic landscapes of South Asia. It aims to promote critical engagement with the transformational impact of digital technologies and advocate for inclusive governance models.

Conclave Overview

Set on the backdrop of South Asia’s rapidly evolving technology ecosystems, the South Asian Technology Law Conclave, 2025 aims to offer a multidimensional approach to understanding and shaping the legal governance of emerging technologies.

As countries in the region adapt to the fourth industrial revolution, the law must evolve to meet new realities concerning data governance, digital identity, online property rights, decentralized finance, and cybersecurity. The conclave will consist of keynote sessions, expert panel discussions, workshops, and paper presentations that critically engage with comparative legal systems, regional integration, and ethical governance.

Delegates will examine the regulatory vacuum in emerging sectors and discuss strategies for building robust, inclusive, and enforceable legal frameworks. As a pivotal event under the umbrella of the 2nd South Asian Global IP Summit 2025, the conclave is committed to fostering policy innovation, academic exchange, and legal foresight across national borders.

Key Focus Areas

1. Legal and Ethical Governance of Artificial Intelligence: Exploration of the legal implications of AI deployment, focusing on liability attribution, transparency, algorithmic fairness, and ethical principles that ensure responsible AI use across sectors.
2. Blockchain Law and Regulatory Compliance in Fintech: Analysis of decentralized finance (DeFi), smart contracts, and crypto-assets. Discussions will explore legal recognition, regulatory inconsistencies, and financial inclusion in the blockchain age.
3. Governance of Immersive Spaces: Metaverse and Virtual Property Rights: Consideration of ownership, rights enforcement, taxation, consumer protection, and jurisdiction in virtual environments such as metaverses, augmented realities, and digital marketplaces.
4. Data Protection and Cross-Border Privacy Challenges: Comparative assessments of data protection laws across South Asia and beyond, with a focus on cross-border data flows, consent architecture, data localization, and regional privacy harmonization.
5. IoT Governance and Liability Frameworks: Evaluation of the regulatory mechanisms for interconnected systems and devices, including discussions on liability in case of failures, cybersecurity obligations, and consumer safety standards.
6. Future of Digital Identity in South Asia: Legal and policy considerations surrounding biometric authentication, digital ID systems, interoperability, access rights, and inclusion, especially in marginalized communities.
7. Building Regional Legal Harmonization for Emerging Tech: Frameworks for collaborative legal standard-setting, addressing differences among national laws, and building joint regulatory platforms for collective oversight of emerging technologies.
8. National Security, Surveillance, and Digital Civil Liberties: Critical discussions on digital surveillance, intelligence regulation, state overreach, privacy rights, and the broader impact of national security measures on civil liberties in the digital age.

International Publication Opportunity

Participants whose papers are selected through peer review will have the opportunity to contribute to an International edited volume titled: “Bytes and Rights: Global Insights on Technology, Media and Cyber Policy, Law and Governance” with International Standard Book Number (ISBN): 978-81-984132-8-4. 

This publication will bring together leading research from across the globe and be distributed internationally to universities, libraries, research centres and policy institutions. It will be indexed and referenced to support future academic and policy research in the field of technology law.

Themes for Paper Submission

Participants are encouraged to submit papers on the following suggested topics, or any other topic that aligns with the broader theme of the conference:

1. Artificial Intelligence and Legal Accountability: Examining frameworks for AI regulation, algorithmic transparency, bias mitigation, and liability attribution in automated decision-making.
2. Blockchain and the Law- Regulating Decentralized Economies: Legal challenges in regulating decentralized finance (DeFi), smart contracts, and crypto-assets across different South Asian jurisdictions.
3. The Metaverse and Virtual Jurisprudence: Legal recognition of virtual spaces, property rights in the metaverse, taxation of digital assets, and consumer protection.
4. Digital Identity and Access to Justice: Impact of biometric and digital ID systems on legal entitlements, privacy, inclusion, and due process in digital governance.
5. Data Protection Laws and Cross-Border Data Transfers: Comparative approaches to data localization, consent architecture, and harmonization of privacy laws within South Asia.
6. Legal Frameworks for the Internet of Things (IoT): Governance, security standards, and liability in IoT ecosystems including smart cities, health tech, and surveillance infrastructure.
7. Technology and Digital Civil Liberties:  Impact of emerging technologies on privacy, freedom of expression, dissent, and democratic oversight in digital governance.
8. Cybersecurity, Cyber Warfare, and International Law: Regional preparedness, attribution of cyber-attacks, sovereignty in cyberspace, and norms under international humanitarian law.
9. Legal Implications of Quantum Computing and Post-Crypto Regulation: Anticipating legal disruptions posed by quantum technology to encryption, security protocols, and financial systems.
10. Platform Governance and Intermediary Liability: Reforms in regulating digital platforms, content moderation, fake news, and legal duties of internet intermediaries.
11. Technology, Labour, and the Future of Work: Legal safeguards for gig economy workers, algorithmic management, remote employment, and workplace surveillance.
12. Ethics and AI in Health Technologies: Legal boundaries in AI-driven diagnostics, patient data use, informed consent, and cross-border telemedicine.
13. South-South Cooperation on Tech Law Harmonization: Prospects for regional legal convergence, shared regulatory sandboxes, and intergovernmental mechanisms.
14. Technology, Environmental Law, and Sustainable Innovation: Role of legal policy in supporting green tech, digital waste regulation, and sustainability standards in innovation.
15. Youth, Law, and Innovation in the Digital Age: Legal empowerment of student innovators, IP protection for digital creators, and youth participation in tech policy-making.

Note: The above topics are suggestive, and submissions on other relevant themes are welcome.

Call for Papers Timeline

• Abstract Submission Deadline: 15th May 2025 – (Abstracts should be between 250–300 words, clearly indicating the research question, methodology and relevance to the conclave themes.)
• Notification of Abstract Selection: 20th May 2025 – (Selected authors will be notified via email and invited to submit full papers.)
• Full Paper Submission Deadline: 25th May 2025 – (Full-length papers should be 3,000–6,000 words and follow the Conclave’s Submission Guidelines.)
• Presentation Confirmation by Authors: 26th May 2025 – (Selected participants must confirm attendance and complete registration.)
• Date of Conclave: 30th May 2025 (Friday)

Mode

Online

Submission Guidelines

Categories

• Research Article: 4,000 to 6,000 words
• Policy Paper / Legislative Analysis: 3,000 to 5,000 words
• Abstract: 250–300 words with 5 keywords

Format and Structure

• Font: Times New Roman
• Body Text: 12pt, Justified Alignment
• Headings: 14pt, Centre Alignment
• Subheadings: 13pt
• Footnotes: 10pt, Left Alignment
• Citation Style: Oxford Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities (OSCOLA).
• Spacing: 1.5

Abstract

Each submission must include a concise abstract not exceeding 300 words summarising the core ideas of the paper with 5 keywords.

Originality

• Submissions must be entirely original and unpublished.
• Plagiarism should not exceed 10%, and AI-generated content is not allowed. Submissions violating these guidelines will be rejected.

Co-Authorship

Papers may have up to two authors.

Anonymity

All submissions must exclude identifiable information about the author(s).

Review Process

• A two-stage internal review will assess submissions.
• Authors may be required to revise their papers based on feedback regarding content, structure, or formatting.

Why Participate?

• Recognition: Present your research at a prestigious international platform.
• Networking: Connect with global academicians, researchers and professionals.
• Publication: Get published in an internationally recognised book.

Contact Details

For direct communication, email us at: editor@cdipr.ac.in.

Click here to submit the abstract.