Why CIOs must rethink their data stack in 2026?

Hemant Tiwari, Managing Director & VP – India and SAARC, Hitachi Vantara highlights the data strategy within defined jurisdictions

- By Musharrat Shahin | [e-mail]

In conversation with CIO&Leader, Hemant Tiwari, Managing Director & VP – India & SAARC, Hitachi Vantara, shares how Indian CIOs can build sovereign, hybrid data foundations aligned to DPDP, RBI and MeitY mandates.

He unpacks how to modernise legacy storage, enable AI-ready infrastructure, and embed zero trust at the data layer. The discussion also explores cyber resilience, edge-to-cloud architectures, and governance at scale. CIO&Leader: How is Hitachi Vantara tailoring its global data platform strategy to align with India's unique priorities such as data sovereignty under the DPDP Act, “Make in India”, and sectoral mandates from RBI and MeitY?

HEMANT TIWARI: India's regulatory and digital priorities demand a data strategy that is both globally robust and locally precise. At Hitachi Vantara, we design platforms that enable data sovereignty by keeping sensitive data governed, protected, and accessible within defined jurisdictions. Our core data infrastructure and hybrid cloud strategy deliver policy-centric controls, robust governance, and security posture that support compliance demands across industries. At the same time, we invest in local capabilities and partner engagement to support digital growth initiatives and innovation across government and enterprise sectors. This approach helps CIOs build a future-ready foundation aligned to national and regulatory priorities while enabling scalable outcomes.

CIO&Leader: Can you share some examples where Hitachi Vantara has co-developed or localized data solutions with customers to address India-specific challenges like vernacular data, rural edge connectivity, or regulatory complexity?