India Post lends expertise to Shiprocket

New Delhi: The Department of Posts has entered into an agreement with Bigfoot Retail Solution Pvt Ltd (Shiprocket), a leading e-commerce enablement platform, to enhance e-commerce exports by leveraging India Post’s extensive presence and reliable shipping solutions. The collaboration is part of the department’s ongoing initiatives to create an export ecosystem for e-commerce in the country, official sources told Bizz Buzz, adding that the agreement is a significant milestone in India’s cross border e-commerce landscape.

In the recent past, India Post has taken a series of steps like the expansion of foreign post offices, introduction of the postal bill of export (PBE) to enable commercial exports through post offices, the launch of a competitive International Tracked Packet Service, and setting up of Dakghar Niryat Kendras (DNKs) across the country.

In December last year, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) notified an automated system for postal exports which spared exporters of the trouble of visiting foreign post offices. By way of PBE, the CBIC allowed them to deposit the export parcel at a nearby post office. The objective was, by using the country’s vast network of post offices, to enable MSMEs to export their goods to global markets using e-commerce or other regular channels.

The online order processing, export documentation, compliances and customs clearance have been made easy through electronic PBE which can be filed on the DNK portal, the sources said. Integration of the DNK portal with different agencies and e-marketplace will benefit artisans, craftsmen, and SME sellers from the remotest areas of the country. There are over 600 operational DNKs.

The agreement with Shiprocket will lead to technical integration between DNKs and the e-commerce company. This, the officials said, will enable India-based sellers, using Shiprocket, to directly generate e-PBE and shipping labels from the Shiprocket platform itself. The exporters can avail packaging, label printing, pickup facility, and induct their shipments to the nearest DNK in any part of the country.