Who Requires an RBI Data Localization Audit?
RBI's Storage of Payment System Data directive applies to payment system providers and their participants handling payment data.
Authorised Payment System Operators
Banks as System Participants
Payment Aggregators
PPI & Wallet Issuers
Card Networks & Cross-Border Providers
Service Providers to Payment Systems
Our RBI Data Localization Audit Approach
A structured audit of where payment data is stored, processed and accessed across your payment ecosystem.
Deliverables You Can Expect
Audit outputs for your compliance team, nodal officer and RBI submission.
System Audit Report (SAR)
Auditor's report on storage of payment system data in India
Data Flow & Storage Map
Payment data elements, flows and storage locations documented
Findings & Remediation Summary
Gaps prioritized with actions to close them
Benefits of RBI Data Localization Audits
Clear Data Residency Evidence
Documented proof of where payment data is stored
Reduced Regulatory Risk
Storage gaps found before regulatory review
Vendor Visibility
Third-party and cloud storage locations confirmed
Stronger Data Governance
Clear ownership of payment data flows
Audit-Ready Documentation
Evidence organized for submission and inspection
Partner Confidence
Independent assurance for banks and networks
Why Payment Organizations Choose QRC
RBI-focused expertise. Data flow depth. Clear, audit-ready outcomes.
Audits aligned to RBI's payment data storage directive and its FAQs.
Combined review of governance, security controls, infrastructure and operational practices.
QRC Assurance and Solutions is listed by CERT-In as an empanelled information security auditing organization.
Experience across RBI PSS, PCI DSS, ISO 27001 and DPDP requirements.
Supporting Services
Services that complement your data localization audit across data discovery, cloud and security testing.
Cloud Security Audits
Reviews cloud configuration and hosting regions for payment workloads.
Learn More
RBI Payment and Settlement Systems Assessment
Broader assessment against RBI payment system requirements.
Learn More
Real-World RBI Data Localization Outcomes
How payment organizations have used QRC audits to evidence payment data localization.
RBI Data Localization Resource Center
Practical resources to help payment organizations understand RBI's payment data storage requirements.
How Integrated Audits Strengthen Data Security and Privacy in REs
In today's increasingly complex business environment, resilience and continuity are vital for long-term success, particularly in highly regulated
Everything You Need To Know About Data Protection
India took massive step with its own data protection act last year when Srikrishna Committee shared.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is an audit of whether your payment system data is stored only in India, as required by RBI's 2018 directive on Storage of Payment System Data. The output is a System Audit Report (SAR).
SAR is the System Audit Report prepared by the auditor after verifying payment data storage, flows and access against the directive.
Payment system providers authorised by RBI, and banks and other participants in those payment systems, for the payment data they handle.
RBI requires the System Audit Report to be prepared by a CERT-In empanelled auditor. QRC is CERT-In empanelled.
RBI's FAQs allow processing abroad in limited cases, provided the data is returned to and stored only in India within the timelines RBI specifies. The audit checks how this is handled.
Timing depends on the entities, systems and locations in scope and how readily evidence is available. QRC confirms a realistic timeline after the scoping call.
Ready to Evidence Your Payment Data Localization?
Define your scope, map your payment data and prepare for RBI submission.