Discussed Data Sovereignty, Digital India With Satya Nadella: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Wednesday discussed on a range of issues including data sovereignty and Digital India with Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Mr Nadella, Mr Prasad said that it was a courtesy meeting which went "very good". "We talked on the issue of data sovereignty which is a work in progress," he said, adding that Digital India was also discussed among several issues in the IT segment.

Data sovereignty and data localisation have been major subjects of debate, with the government having introduced the Personal Data Protection Bill in Parliament last year.

Although the bill allows the transfer of personal data outside India, while transferring "sensitive" personal data outside the country a copy will have to be kept in the country. Data processing or collecting entities will, however, be barred from transferring "critical" personal data outside the country.

Data sovereignty and localisation are a matter of concern as major technology companies are based out of India and store data outside the country.

The minister also told the media that the Microsoft Corporation CEO can adopt and transform select villages into digital villages in line with the government's target of establishing one lakh digital villages.

"We discussed a whole range of issues on IT, particularly I have offered to him... We have to establish one lakh digital villages. He can consider adopting some of these digital villages and mentoring them to become a beacon for others to follow," he said.