Shivnath Thukral, Meta’s head of public policy in India, is stepping down after more than seven and a half years with the company. His exit follows just months after Google’s policy head Sreenivasa Reddy also resigned, highlighting a period of transition for global tech companies navigating India’s evolving regulatory landscape.
Thukral took over as Meta’s public policy lead for the South Asia region — home to Meta’s largest user base — in November 2022, following the departure of Rajiv Aggarwal. In a LinkedIn post, Thukral stated, “Having helped build some of the systems and processes, I do feel it is a good time to let the engine and the team work on their own,” calling it a tough decision due to his team’s excellence.
His departure comes on the heels of a major legal victory for Meta in India related to WhatsApp’s 2021 data-sharing policy, which had initially drawn scrutiny from the country’s antitrust body. However, challenges remain. India is preparing to enforce new data protection regulations, which could require stricter safeguards, including parental consent for children’s data.
Meta also faces pressure from Indian telecom operators, who argue that WhatsApp’s 500+ million users increasingly bypass traditional telecom services for messaging and calls. Despite recent efforts to curb spam and unsolicited messages, WhatsApp continues to receive criticism over content moderation.
Meta has not yet named a successor to Thukral. In a statement, Kevin Martin, Meta’s VP and Global Head of Policy, praised Thukral’s leadership, noting his key role in shaping critical policy dialogues in India. As India tightens digital regulations, the exit of senior public policy heads at both Google and Meta reflects the growing complexity of managing tech policy in one of the world’s largest internet markets.
