India’s e-commerce policy framework in 6 months: official

In the next six months, India will come out with a framework for a national e-commerce policy to deal with competition, regulation, data privacy, taxation and technical issues like localisation of servers and technology transfer, commerce secretary Rita Teaotia said. The government will set up a task force to finalise the policy contours, she said.

The decision for a task force was arrived at during the first meeting of the think-tank, chaired by commerce and industry minister Suresh Prabhu, on the framework for such a policy, according to Indian media reports.

The think-tank, which includes officials from the ministries of commerce, finance, home affairs, corporate affairs and electronics & information technology along with representatives from telecom, IT and e-commerce companies, will give its report in the sixth month after the taskforce submits its recommendations in the fifth month, she said.

The policy will help India articulate its stand on ecommerce at the World Trade Organisation, she added.

Most players are reportedly in favour of light-touch regulation, not a heavy-handed mandate.