Data localisation norms a key sticking point in India-US BTA talks

Among digital services, one of the contentious issues on the table is India's data localisation norms - cross-border flow of data - that have been a concern for American companies

The ongoing talks related to the first phase of the India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA) are seeing intense discussions on liberalisation of India's digital services, apart from reduction of tariff on goods, people aware of the matter said. 

A team of US officials, headed by Assistant US Trade Representative (USTR) Brendan Lynch, is in the national capital and has been holding three-day intense discussions with commerce department representatives starting Wednesday. The idea is to finalise the contours of the proposed trade deal by month-end since both sides have set an ambitious deadline to close it by the fall of this