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Key Points

Sunil Mittal reassures that India's data security remains uncompromised in the UK FTA, emphasizing trusted partnerships. He highlights India's strong digital infrastructure and regulatory safeguards like the DPDP Act. The FTA aims to enhance trade by reducing tariffs, benefiting both nations. Mittal also addresses Starlink's compliance with Indian laws during potential internet shutdowns.

Key Points: Sunil Mittal Assures India-UK FTA Safeguards Data Security

  • Sunil Mittal affirms India's strict data protection in UK FTA
  • Highlights India's digital advantage and secure data exchange policies
  • Discusses Starlink compliance with Indian regulations during crises
  • Notes FTA aims to boost trade by reducing tariffs between India and UK
3 min read

India has not compromised on data sharing under FTA with UK: Sunil Mittal

Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Mittal confirms India's data protection stance in the UK FTA, emphasizing trusted partnerships and regulatory compliance.

"India wants to exchange data only with trusted partners, trusted countries. And these kinds of FTAs help in establishing those relationships. - Sunil Mittal"

London, July 24

Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal on Tuesday reassured that the India-UK FTA does not compromise data protections, asserting that India has a "clear position" on securing its data provisions in every way.

Bharti Enterprises Chairman said that the country is uniquely positioned to ensure secure data exchanges only with trusted partners.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Bharti Enterprises Chairman said, "In today's world, data movement is one of the most important issues in the trade, and services. And given India's advantage in digital connectivity now, which is not only at par with the world but perhaps in certain cases ahead of the world in its availability of data, the pricing, and the consumption patterns that you see, India has a very, very clear position."

"India has a very, very clear position. It wants to exchange data only with trusted partners, trusted countries. And these kinds of FTAs help in establishing those relationships," he added.

India's data localisation requirements, including the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, will ensure robust security for Indian data, Mittal said.

Discussing Starlink's partnership with his company, Mittal addressed potential concerns about satellite internet in crisis scenarios, such as internet shutdowns in conflict zones like Manipur.

He clarified that, should such disruptions occur, the Indian government would have the authority to order the shutdown of services from licensed operators.

"They (Indian Government) will have to immediately make a request to the people who have been licensed (with Starlink) in India and they'll be duty bound to follow the law of the land, absolutely. I mean tomorrow, if we are operating OneWeb in India and if there are directions for us to shut the services, we will have no other recourse but to do that. I mean, you are operating under the license GMPCS (Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite) given by the DOT. So you have to stay within those norms," Mittal stated.

The much-awaited landmark India-UK Free Trade Agreement was signed on Thursday, in the presence of Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Keir Starmer, providing greater access to goods and services between the two countries.

On May 6, Prime Minister Modi and his UK counterpart, Keir Starmer, announced the successful conclusion of a mutually beneficial India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The idea behind the trade deal is to eliminate or reduce tariffs on imports and exports between the two nations. This should make Indian products competitive in the UK and vice versa.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
While I appreciate the government's stance on data protection, I hope this doesn't become another bureaucratic hurdle for startups. We need clear guidelines on what constitutes "trusted partners" - the definition seems vague.
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Arjun K
Excellent move! The UK FTA will boost our IT sector tremendously. With our strong digital framework and now this agreement, Indian tech companies can expand globally while keeping data secure. Jai Hind! 💻🚀
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Sarah B
As someone working in data privacy, I'm cautiously optimistic. The DPDP Act is a good start but implementation will be key. Hope we see proper enforcement mechanisms and not just promises on paper.
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Vikram M
The Starlink clarification is important - no company should be above Indian laws, especially in sensitive situations. National security must come first, always. Good to see Mittal being clear about this.
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Kavya N
Hope this FTA benefits small businesses too, not just big corporates. The reduction in tariffs should make Indian handicrafts and textiles more competitive in UK markets. Fingers crossed! 🤞
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Michael C
Interesting development. As an expat in India, I appreciate the balanced approach - protecting data while fostering international trade. This could set a global benchmark for digital trade agreements.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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