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US Senators Urge India To Soften Data Localization Stance (reuters.com)
Two U.S. senators have called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to soften India's stance on data localization, warning that measures requiring it represent "key trade barriers" between the two nations. From a report: In a letter to Modi dated Friday and seen by Reuters, U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Mark Warner -- co-chairs of the Senate's India caucus that comprises over 30 senators -- urged India to instead adopt a "light touch" regulatory framework that would allow data to flow freely across borders. The letter comes as relations between Washington and New Delhi are strained over multiple issues, including an Indo-Russian defense contract, India's new tariffs on electronics and other items, and its moves to buy oil from Iran despite upcoming U.S. sanctions.
Global payments companies including Mastercard, Visa and American Express have been lobbying India's finance ministry and the Reserve Bank of India to relax proposed rules that require all payment data on domestic transactions in India be stored inside the country by October 15. The letter is most likely a last-ditch effort after the RBI told officials at top payment firms this week that the central bank would implement, in full, its data localization directive without extending the deadline, or allowing data to be stored both offshore as well as locally -- a practice known as data mirroring. "We see this (data localization) as a fundamental issue to the further development of digital trade and one that is crucial to our economic partnership," the U.S. senators said in the letter that has not been previously reported.
Global payments companies including Mastercard, Visa and American Express have been lobbying India's finance ministry and the Reserve Bank of India to relax proposed rules that require all payment data on domestic transactions in India be stored inside the country by October 15. The letter is most likely a last-ditch effort after the RBI told officials at top payment firms this week that the central bank would implement, in full, its data localization directive without extending the deadline, or allowing data to be stored both offshore as well as locally -- a practice known as data mirroring. "We see this (data localization) as a fundamental issue to the further development of digital trade and one that is crucial to our economic partnership," the U.S. senators said in the letter that has not been previously reported.
US Government once again trying to do the exact opposite of what you'd expect. Why is it other countries recognizes the threat of storing data about their own citizens outside their borders, EXCEPT the "5 eyes"? Could it be India ALSO wants to backdoor encryption which would at least in theory prohibit them from storing OUR data?
Which would also make it very difficult if not impossible for companies to outsource to India. That isn't such a bad idea.
Close, but I think this is a case of the U.S. minding its own businesses.
they know damn well how outsourcing works and they'll be damned if you're gonna do it to them. Wanna do business in our country? Then you damn well better hire our people.
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In the US, you can only buy senators and above.
In India you can buy any one.
True democracy.
How about India demand reciprocity for FATCA and just start auditing any US financial institutions suspected of holding suspected Indian citizens' financial records? Yes, it's about money. But it's also about foreign institutions and governments digging around in the records of its citizens.
Have gnu, will travel.