India Data Sovereignty Debate

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has raised significant concerns regarding India's data sovereignty and the transparency of digital trade negotiations with the United States. He questioned whether sensitive data, including health and financial records, would remain stored in India and if India would retain the authority to mandate data localization for foreign companies. Rahul Gandhi emphasized that India's data is a crucial asset for its AI economy and job creation. In response, Minister of State Jitin Prasada affirmed that India has preserved its regulatory autonomy in data governance within existing and proposed trade agreements, including an interim framework with the United States. He highlighted India's vibrant IT ecosystem and its successful inclusion of Digital Trade Chapters in Free Trade Agreements with United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the European Union, asserting that these agreements do not restrict India's ability to manage its own data.