Airtel Pushes for Sovereign Cloud Stack to Control Indian Data Domestically

Bharti Airtel's Group Chief Risk Officer Rahul Vatts has advocated for a sovereign cloud infrastructure to manage Indian data domestically, challenging the current fragmented regulatory framework that permits data processing overseas.

Addressing the Global Fintech Fest 2026, Vatts distinguished between local data residency and true data sovereignty, emphasizing that control over data requires indigenous technological systems. "It is not correct to equate local data residency with data sovereignty," he stated, underscoring the need for a sovereign technology stack to govern data management.

The company official highlighted that the government has taken initial steps with its first circular on the matter, describing the move as pathbreaking. He noted that detailed discussions between government and industry stakeholders over the past 30-45 days have focused on defining the scope of data sovereignty policies.

Vatts identified two critical areas requiring immediate attention: establishing clarity on control mechanisms and ensuring they are properly managed, and moving away from India's current piecemeal policy approach. He emphasized that while the government remains proactive on the issue, these foundational elements must be addressed to create a coherent framework for data governance.

The push reflects broader concerns among Indian telecom and financial services companies about maintaining sovereign control over sensitive citizen data in an era of increasing cross-border digital operations.