About this publication
Data sovereignty refers to the authority of a state, institution, or political community to establish and enforce rules governing the access, storage, processing, and transfer of data that falls under its jurisdiction. The central issue in data sovereignty extends beyond data protection alone; it concerns who has authority over data and the legal, political, and territorial frameworks within which that authority is exercised.
India's enactment of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act in August 2023 established a comprehensive legal framework for the processing of personal data, including individual rights, obligations of data fiduciaries, and mechanisms for regulatory oversight. The legislation represented a significant step toward strengthening India's authority over the rules governing data within the digital domain.
As cross-border data flows continue to expand, the location of data storage and processing increasingly intersects with national laws, security considerations, and economic interests. Data sovereignty therefore involves more than safeguarding information; it reflects a broader effort by states to define the legal and political jurisdiction over data and to shape the governance of digital resources in the international system.