Airtel: Data Residency Alone Is Insufficient for Sovereignty
Airtel argues that simply storing data within India does not guarantee data sovereignty. The company emphasizes the need for control over data and assurance of accessibility, moving beyond mere location.
New Delhi – Storing data on servers within India is insufficient to ensure data sovereignty, stated Abhishek Biswal, Chief Business Officer at Airtel, during a panel discussion at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026. Biswal clarified that data sovereignty extends beyond just storage, encompassing an organization's ability to access its data when needed and the assurance that no foreign government can impede that access.
India's existing data localization requirements often focus on the physical location of specific data categories. For instance, the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) 2018 directive mandates that payment system data must be stored exclusively within India. Similarly, directives from India's Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) require system logs to be kept within Indian jurisdiction for 180 days. The new Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act of 2023 allows the government to restrict transfers of personal data to notified countries, but this provision is set to take effect in May 2027.
Past incidents, such as Microsoft's temporary suspension of Outlook and Teams services for Nayara Energy due to European Union sanctions, have highlighted the risk of foreign jurisdictions impacting service availability. The Delhi High Court later directed SAP India to restore services to Nayara, deeming the suspension a prima facie breach of contract.
Airtel has a commercial interest in this domain, having launched its sovereign cloud platform, Airtel Cloud, in August 2025. The company emphasizes that all controls for its cloud services reside strictly within India. Biswal outlined Airtel's approach to sovereignty in three layers: data sovereignty, control over the technology lifecycle, and operational sovereignty, which includes access to physical infrastructure and its telemetry.
The panel also discussed enterprise willingness to invest in sovereign technology. Research from GSMA Intelligence indicates that 75% of Indian enterprises consider technological sovereignty crucial for digital transformation and are willing to pay a premium of around 15% for it, citing cybersecurity as a primary driver. Conversely, Europe's regulatory approach was described as creating an "over-regulated space" that may hinder investment and innovation.