Nikhil Narendran

Partner – TMT / General Corporate

Nikhil Narendran is a Partner at Trilegal with over two decades of experience specialising in TMT as well as Commercial law. He is highly regarded for his expertise in advising technology and telecom companies on regulatory issues, India entry, disputes, policy, intellectual property rights, and business model strategies.

Clients: Nikhil's client portfolio includes major players in the technology, telecom, and media sectors, such as:

• Amazon

• Google

• Telesat

• AWS

• SES S.A.

• Wikimedia Foundation

• National Payments Corporation of India

• Accenture

• Comcast

• HP

Experience and expertise: In the past year, Nikhil has been instrumental in advising clients across various industries on a range of regulatory and contractual matters. Some highlights of his recent work include:

• Representing Wikimedia Foundation in precedent-setting defamation and intermediary liability proceedings against ANI Media Limited before the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court of India. Nikhil led the multi-fora litigation strategy, resulting in landmark outcomes affirming limits on court-ordered content takedowns and establishing India’s first privacy-preserving summons mechanism for anonymous online users. The matter continues before the Delhi High Court and has significantly shaped jurisprudence on online speech, privacy, and procedural fairness.

• Advising a global technology company operating large-scale internet infrastructure on a broad portfolio of litigation and law-enforcement matters in India, including intellectual property disputes, personality rights claims, and intermediary liability issues. His role involved overseeing litigation strategy across jurisdictions and guiding regulatory and enforcement engagement.

• Advising a multinational technology corporation on the legal and policy framework for establishing a hyperscale AI data city in India, a USD 15 billion investment. Nikhil led advice on telecom, data, IP, and enforcement frameworks, including cross-border data flows and captive network authorisations, and supported engagements with central and state governments.

• Advising a leading transport aggregator platform in relation to a regulatory inquiry into alleged differential pricing across operating systems, successfully assisting in the closure of the matter by clearly articulating the client’s pricing architecture and algorithmic systems to the regulator.

• Advised and represented Dr. Shashi Tharoor in proceedings before the Delhi High Court, concerning the misappropriation of his personality and publicity rights through AI-generated deepfake videos. The interim reliefs successfully obtained include: (a) immediate take-down of the impugned deepfake videos; (b) a dynamic injunction for prompt removal of any similar deepfake content resurfacing online; and (c) disclosure of the identities and registration particulars of the uploaders/creators within a stipulated timeline. The outcome shaped the emerging judicial approach to AI-generated content.

Recognitions: In recognition of his contributions, Nikhil has been identified as a No1 in RISE Cyber Ranking, 'Band 1 Practitioner' in TMT by the Chambers and Partners (Asia-Pacific), 2026, “Litigation Star” in Technology, Data and Privacy by Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2026, “Leading Partner” for TMT and Data Protection by The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, 2026-2024, 'Ranked Practitioner' for Technology, Media and Telecommunications by Chambers & Partners (Asia-Pacific) 2025, ranked in Band 1 for Technology, Media and Telecommunications by Chambers & Partners (2024), recognised as 'Ranked Individual' for Data Protection and TMT by Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2025), recognised as a "Leading Individual" for TMT by The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024, recognised as a 'Distinguished Practitioner' in Technology and Telecommunications by Asialaw (2024), securing the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards Asia-Pacific 2024 - Science and Technology Award for ONDC (2024), Top Technology, Media and Telecommunications/Fintech Lawyers by Asian Legal Business India (2023), featured in the 40 under 40 leaders in law firms in Asia Pacific by Asian Legal Business India (2020), and featured in the Who's Who Legal TMT.

ALB India Top TMT / Fintech Lawyers 2021

IBLJ – India’s Future Legal Leaders 2020

ALB 40-under-40 2020

Chambers & Partners and Who’s Who Legal TMT

Chapter on “Big Data in State Possession” in the handbook on Blockchain for Property Governance

Chapter on “Accountability” in Responsible AI-A Global Policy Framework