Context–  India refused to become a signatory to the Osaka declaration on digital economy.

About–

• It was signed by 24 countries and groupings.
• It was a sign of resistance against developed countries led by the US and Japan, which are pushing for free flow of data across borders.
• It is an overarching framework promoting cross-border data flow with enhanced protections.
• Apart from India, South Africa and Indonesia also stayed away from signing the Osaka declaration.
• The declaration is aimed for the creation of international rules enabling free movement of data across borders.
• India believes that discussions and negotiations pertaining to data should be held within the context of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).