MLAT
Definition
Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty. The formal mechanism for cross-border evidence requests. India has bilateral MLATs with over 40 countries including the US, UK, France and UAE. Average turnaround for the US MLAT is reported at 8 to 12 months, which is the reason informal data-sharing channels via SSMI Indian offices are preferred for time-sensitive matters.
- US MLAT Timeline
- 6 to 24 months, typically 8 to 12 months on average
- India's Treaty Partners
- Over 40 countries including the US, UK, France, and UAE
- Request Path (US)
- Indian investigating officer > Ministry of Home Affairs > US Department of Justice > service to provider
Common questions
How do you get evidence from cloud providers in other countries?+
Through a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), which is a formal agreement between countries. An Indian investigator sends the request through the Ministry of Home Affairs to the foreign country's legal authority (like the US Department of Justice), who then serves the provider. The process is official but slow: US MLATs typically take 6 to 24 months.
Why do investigators sometimes skip the MLAT process?+
MLATs are slow, often taking 6 to 18 months for US-based providers like Google or Apple. For time-sensitive investigations, some teams use informal channels through liaison offices (like SSMI in India) to get faster access to data, though these are outside the formal treaty mechanism.
How many countries does India have MLATs with?+
India has bilateral mutual legal assistance treaties with over 40 countries, including the US, UK, France, and UAE. Each country pair has its own agreement that specifies how evidence requests are handled.
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