Google’s India legal head steps down amid regulatory scrutiny

In a significant move, Bijoya Roy, the head of legal at Google India, has announced her resignation after just 16 months with the tech giant. Her departure, attributed to personal reasons, raises new concerns about the company's ability to navigate ongoing regulatory scrutiny in the country. Reports indicate that Roy is considering launching her own venture after leaving Google. Roy's exit comes during a pivotal period for Google as it grapples with multiple regulatory hurdles in India. The company is currently facing antitrust investigations, legal issues related to AI training data, and new content takedown regulations that were implemented in February. With Roy's resignation, Google now finds itself without a government relations leader, further complicating its challenges in this vital market. Joining Google India in November 2021, Roy brought nearly two decades of legal expertise to the role, having held significant positions at companies like Tata Housing, Asian Paints, and Kodak, as well as spending nearly ten years at Thomson Reuters in London and Dubai. Before her time at Google, she served as Vice President of Group General Counsel at Flipkart. As of now, Roy has not publicly commented on her departure, and Google has yet to release an official statement regarding the situation. This resignation adds to a trend of high-profile exits from Google India, including the departure of Sreenivasa Reddy, the former head of public policy, whose role remains vacant. The lack of senior leadership in legal and policy could pose significant challenges for Google as it continues to prioritize India as a key market.