India Secures Data Autonomy Amidst US Trade Talks

India has maintained its regulatory autonomy under a new interim agreement framework with the US, as revealed in Parliament. The framework aims to promote digital trade while preserving India's authority over data governance, digital trade regulations, and cross-border data management policies.

India has successfully retained its regulatory autonomy in data governance within the framework of an interim agreement with the United States, according to information presented in Parliament on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Jitin Prasada, emphasized that the pact does not restrict India's control over managing its own data. The framework serves as a roadmap for achieving digital trade guidelines that are reciprocal and mutually beneficial as part of the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).

In response to queries by opposition leader Rahul Gandhi about reconciling digital trade commitments with national data policies, Prasada reassured that India's ability to mandate local data storage and regulate artificial intelligence or sensitive infrastructure remains intact.

(With inputs from agencies.)