# RBI Payment Data Localisation: RBI directive on storage of payment system data

> Payment system data must be stored only in India, a requirement that shapes cloud, vendor and architecture decisions.

URL: https://securei3.com/standards/rbi-payment-data-localisation/
Category: India regulations: Law or regulation
Provider: Secure iQube (independent consultancy; ISO certificates are issued by accredited certification bodies; SOC and ISAE reports by licensed CPA and audit firms, which Secure iQube can arrange through partner firms)


RBI’s 2018 directive on storage of payment system data requires system providers to store the entire data relating to payment systems operated by them only in India, with limited exceptions for the foreign leg of transactions. Compliance is verified through audit reports.

We map payment data flows, assess cloud and vendor locations, design compliant architectures and prepare for the system audit report.

## Who it is for

- Payment system operators and their service providers
- Banks and fintechs using global cloud or SaaS tools

## Benefits

- Confidence that payment data stays in India
- Architecture and vendor choices made early
- Audit-ready data flow evidence

## How Secure iQube helps

1. **Applicability and scoping**: Confirm whether and how the law applies to you, entities, data, systems, roles and territories.
2. **Data and process mapping**: Build a record of processing or control inventory so obligations can be tied to real systems and owners.
3. **Gap assessment**: Measure current practice against each obligation and rank the gaps by legal and business risk.
4. **Remediation roadmap**: Policies, notices, contracts, technical controls and governance, sequenced so the highest risks close first.
5. **Evidence and ongoing monitoring**: A compliance calendar, metrics and periodic reviews so you can demonstrate compliance to a regulator or customer at any time.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can payment data be processed abroad?

Processing abroad may be permitted in specific cases provided the data is deleted abroad and brought back to India within the timeframe RBI specifies. Get the details right for each flow.

Related: https://securei3.com/standards/rbi-it-outsourcing/, https://securei3.com/standards/rbi-pso-cyber-resilience/, https://securei3.com/standards/india-dpdp/

Contact: https://securei3.com/contact/: info@securei3.com