Restricting cross-border data flow will hurt economy: Internet companies

Asia Internet Coalition says draft e-commerce policy must not classify data as a community resource.

An industry group representing Facebook, Airbnb, Google, Amazon and Twitter has requested the government to take a "thoughtful approach" about cross-border data flow, saying restrictions will hurt India's digital economy.

The Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) made its recommendation to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade after reports that Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has asked the issue of data localisation to be kept out of the ambit of the draft e-commerce policy, and let the Information Technology ministry handle the issue under a proposed law.

"While we commend the removal of data localisation from the e-commerce policy draft