Vikas Sharma, Vice President & Business Head – Public Services & Utilities, SAP India, in an exclusive interaction with Elets News Network, shares insights on the rising importance of digital sovereignty. He highlights how secure, sovereign digital infrastructure is crucial for India’s self-reliance, regulatory compliance, and AI-driven innovation, while outlining SAP’s pioneering role through its newly launched Sovereign Cloud in India.

How important is digital sovereignty in India, and why is it particularly relevant now?

As one of the largest producers of data globally, India is sitting on a national asset that fuels innovation, drives efficiency, and shapes its digital future. Safeguarding this asset is critical to India’s future, making digital sovereignty the foundation of national strength and growth. With the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 mandating data residency within India, and with AI driving the next wave of innovation, sovereignty ensures that regulated industries retain complete ownership of their infrastructure, data, and systems. In today’s global context of rising cyber risks and shifting global dynamics, digital sovereignty is what will allow India to innovate confidently and lead competitively on the world stage. For India, digital sovereignty is not just an aspiration but an essential pillar of self-reliance and sustainable growth while safeguarding citizens’ data privacy.

What are the government’s current priorities and challenges in driving digital transformation across businesses and public services?

The Government of India’s digital transformation agenda is profoundly ambitious, with clear priorities centered on Digital India. This includes fostering robust economic growth, developing intelligent infrastructure, and ensuring trusted digital inclusion. Initiatives like the Digital India program, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, the National Information Security Policy & Guidelines (NISPG), and sectoral guidelines for regulated industries all point to a future where technology drives efficiency, transparency, and citizen-centric services. The overarching vision is to establish seamless digital experiences and elevate the socio-economic landscape for all.

However, executing this vision presents significant challenges such as data silos, rising cyber threats, workforce skill gaps, last-mile connectivity, robust governance frameworks, and building public trust in digital systems. Addressing these challenges requires secure, trusted, and scalable technology solutions that can provide the agile infrastructure essential for India’s digital promise.

How is SAP taking the lead in India with the launch of Sovereign Cloud to address these priorities?

At SAP, sovereignty means establishing clear, unified rules for managing critical data and its application in regulated industries. To support this vision, SAP is introducing the full-stack capabilities of SAP Sovereign Cloud in India, for India. As the only technology provider offering sovereignty across the entire stack—from infrastructure to applications—SAP is empowering the nation to strengthen digital self-reliance and accelerate AI-driven innovation.

Aligned with the National Information Security Policy & Guidelines (NISPG), the new offering in India is designed for organisations that require maximum control over their cloud environments. With SAP Sovereign Cloud On-Site, SAP delivers a managed cloud infrastructure based on open-source technology directly within a customer’s own data center. This model ensures local physical control while benefiting from SAP’s global expertise in service delivery, updates, and compliance. Customers choose their data center location, and SAP safeguards continuity, resilience, and adherence to regulations.

For organisations seeking the scalability and flexibility of a hyperscaler, SAP also offers SAP Sovereign Cloud on Amazon Web Services (AWS). This enables sovereign deployments on AWS infrastructure, fully aligned with India’s regulatory and operational requirements. It provides the freedom to leverage SAP’s complete cloud portfolio while ensuring data remains secure, compliant, and within India’s borders. Ultimately, the sovereign cloud offering extends beyond mere cloud services; it is fundamentally about strengthening India’s digital posture and fostering a resilient, digitally independent future.

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With the launch of Sovereign Cloud in India, how does this new offering ensure data security and compliance for regulated industries?

SAP Sovereign Cloud is purpose-built for regulated industries where data security and compliance are non-negotiable. Offering true end-to-end sovereignty, SAP Sovereign Cloud in India is anchored around four dimensions of sovereignty: data, operational, technical, and legal. Sensitive data remains within India’s borders, operations are managed by locally based, security-cleared personnel, and strong encryption with local control planes ensures technical security. Legal sovereignty ensures full compliance with Indian regulations.

To further solidify our offerings, SAP has established a Secure Operational Facility within the newly inaugurated campus at SAP Labs India Innovation Park, Bengaluru. This facility is purpose-built to meet the stringent requirements of India’s National Security Authorities, fully aligned with Government Security Policies and Guidelines. It will serve as a strategic hub for innovation, compliance assurance, and co-creation with Indian customers, actively advancing digital sovereignty solutions that are truly built in India, for India.

Backed by decades of SAP’s expertise in securing mission-critical processes, the Sovereign Cloud provides a secure, compliant, and locally governed foundation that enables regulated industries to innovate confidently with cloud and AI while meeting the highest standards of trust and resilience.

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