India reviews Chinese service-export barriers amid data, visa and qualification hurdles

A senior official, who wished to remain unnamed, said India’s commerce department is conducting a thorough review of Chinese barriers affecting service exporters. The agency has solicited information from the industry on China’s data-localisation mandates, cybersecurity standards, cross-border data-transfer rules, as well as visa, work-permit and professional-qualification recognition requirements. The goal is to map obstacles for Indian service firms, whose exports to China totaled $8.95 billion in 2024, and to identify new partnership or investment opportunities.

Respondents indicated that most Indian firms work through local entities rather than selling directly to Chinese clients. Trade experts argue that while visas and personnel movement are politically sensitive, issues such as mutual-recognition agreements, certification and standards are easier to address, and they stress the need to assess compatibility between India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act and China’s Personal Information Protection Law.