First meeting of subgroups on India's e-comm policy in Jun

Nine subgroups, formed to work on India’s e-commerce policy, are reportedly expected to hold their first meeting between June 20 and June 22 and submit their recommendations to a task force, which will finalise the national policy. The task force will then give its report to a think-tank headed by the commerce and industry minister Suresh Prabhu.

These groups will look at a gamut of issues, including foreign direct investment norms; protection of intellectual property and innovation; trade facilitation measures; measures enhancing consumer confidence; cross border transfer of information by electronic means; digital products, customs duties and taxation; skills, education and training; data protection and location of computing facilities; and payment system for electronic transactions, according to a news agency report.

The think-tank includes officials from the ministries of commerce, finance, home affairs, corporate affairs and electronics & information technology (IT) along with representatives from telecom, IT and e-commerce companies.
The policy will help India articulate its stand on ecommerce at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Several developed countries, including the United States, are keen on an agreement on e-commerce at the WTO.

India is participating in the ongoing technical negotiations on the issue at the WTO, but the subject is not on the formal negotiating table as the sector is at nascent stage in India and developing countries need time to prepare themselves.