US Senators Urge India to Soften Data Localization Stance

Sen. John Cornyn, R-TX reacts to Sen. Jeff Flake's R-AZ remarks during Senate Judiciary Committee meeting to vote on the nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.in Washington, U.S., September 28, 2018. /Mary F. Calvert/Reuters

NEW DELHI–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.

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.