Bridging the Transparency Gap

The U.S. and India both operate vast surveillance apparatuses. Both nations have also engaged in complex and rather unique domestic debates regarding the scope of government surveillance power, its influence on technology and telecommunications companies, and its impact on the privacy and security of their citizens. Until recently, the surveillance efforts of these two countries were viewed as unrelated to one another. However, a deeper understanding of the surveillance ecosystems in both of these nations, and how they overlap, is becoming increasingly important. A comparative assessment of surveillance powers, associated transparency mechanisms, and their limitations in both nations can inform discussions on what a potential bilateral partnership between India and the United States would look like. Such an assessment can also inform ongoing efforts to reform surveillance-related standards and mechanisms in both countries.

This report begins by providing an overview of the surveillance landscape in both the United States and India. It then analyzes relevant government and corporate transparency mechanisms in both countries. The report concludes by providing recommendations on how both governments and companies in both countries can promote greater transparency and accountability around their engagements within the surveillance landscape.