Government Datasets To Be Shifted To Indigenous Cloud Infra Ahead Of Data Protection Act Rollout

The Centre plans to shift lakhs of government datasets, including around 4.8 lakh open datasets, to indigenous cloud infrastructure such as Shakti DB as it seeks to reduce dependence on foreign cloud service providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google for hosting critical government information, including sensitive and personal data, sources have said.

The exercise is likely to take place ahead of the implementation of key provisions of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023. The focus is on strengthening domestic control over the storage and processing of government information, with particular emphasis on data security, access controls and governance.

A meeting held on October 7 discussed Shakti DB's capabilities as an alternative to existing cloud services for government workloads, an official familiar with the discussions said. The meeting also covered security guardrails and governance policies for managing data held by ministries and departments.

"Around 16,000 datasets from multiple ministries form part of the government's wider data ecosystem. The proposed shift would involve evaluating how government information, including critical records and sensitive personal data, can be hosted on indigenous infrastructure while maintaining security and operational continuity," said the official.

The move would require clear distinctions between publicly available datasets and information requiring restricted access. While open datasets can be made available for wider use, government systems also hold personal information and sensitive records that need stricter safeguards against unauthorised access, misuse and data breaches.

Officials said the discussions included security safeguards and governance mechanisms to regulate access to government data. These would cover how information is stored, processed and monitored, as well as the responsibilities of government departments and cloud service providers. The transition would also involve considerations such as cybersecurity, storage capacity, interoperability and service reliability.

The DPDP Act establishes a framework for processing digital personal data and protecting individuals' information. Its implementation is being done in phases, with the main substantive compliance provisions scheduled to take effect on May 13, 2027. The proposed migration is expected to be undertaken ahead of this timeline, officials said.

Moving data to an Indian cloud provider would not, by itself, guarantee compliance with the law. Government departments would still need to meet applicable data-protection requirements, including safeguards for personal information. Data localisation and control over cloud infrastructure are distinct considerations, making access policies and accountability crucial parts of the exercise.

AIKosh, the IndiaAI Datasets Platform established under the IndiaAI Mission, provides a repository of datasets, AI models, toolkits and other resources for research and development. Its datasets span sectors including agriculture, healthcare, education, governance, finance, energy and the environment. The platform enables researchers and developers to discover and use data for different applications, while the proposed cloud exercise focuses more broadly on where government information is hosted and how it is protected.