What Is a Digital Embassy? Will UAE Be The First to Set Up Its Data Embassy in India - What We Know

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Delhi: India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) are discussing a concept called 'Digital Embassy', informed Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday adding that this is an interesting area in which UAE expressed its interest and New Delhi is willing to work with them.

What is a Digital Embassy?

• A ‘Digital Embassy’ is kind of a data embassy that has been conceptualized in order to store and secure state-owned data centres. These data hubs are located outside a nation’s physical borders and can enjoy diplomatic immunity.
• A data embassy or a centre can be set up at secure locations outside a country’s geographical border to protect it from cyberattacks or physical, existential threats.
• India has been keenly focusing on Digital embassies, expecting other nations to set up its digital embassy in India to project itself as a global digital infrastructure hub.

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How Far India-UAE Talks on Setting Up Digital Embassy Have Progressed

India is in active discussions with several nations to have their digital embassies here in the country, especially the UAE.The discussions also came up during UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who was on a brief visit to India on Monday (today).ALSO READ |Car Ride After Airport Pickup: PM Modi’s Personal Gesture for UAE President - See Photos It is being expected that the UAE might become the first nation to set up its digital embassy in India. The Gujarat’s GIFT city — Gujarat International Finance Tec-City — is being considered as one of the locations where digital embassies could be set up. These data embassies will be highly secured, legally protected physical centers to cater to foreign government data under diplomatic immunity.

What MEA Said on India-UAE Digital Embassy Talks

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri while speaking to reporters, reflected upon India-UAE digital embassy talks and said, "... It's an interesting new concept. It relates to the effort of a country to safe harbour for data that it considers of national importance and strategic value. There are not too many successful examples of this concept having been executed in too many places in the world, but there are a few. It is a new concept for us as well."ALSO READ | 'Don't Help Fuel Terror Infrastructure in Our Neighbourhood': Jaishankar's Tough Message to PolandAdding further, Misri added, "We may have to work out a regulatory framework for getting into this but it is an interesting area in which the UAE has expressed some interest, and we are willing to work with them and see how we can set this up while of course respecting the fact that data has certain sovereignty-related issues attached to it. We will work through these issues."

India-UAE Sign Massive Trade Target, LNG Deal

Earlier today, India and the United Arab Emirates set a target of USD 200 billion in annual trade by 2032 and agreed to seal a strategic defence pact while boosting cooperation in energy, space and civil nuclear sectors with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan laying out a broad agenda to shore up ties.PM Modi welcomed Al Nahyan at the Delhi airport with a hug and then they travelled together in the same vehicle to the prime minister's residence, where they held talks in the restricted as well as delegation-level formats.With inputs from PTI