India insists on defining e-Commerce trade

New Delhi: India has asked the WTO members to work on a clear definition of e-commerce trade in goods and services as it would help provide developing countries a policy space to make decisions on the fast-growing sector, an official said. At present, there is a difference of understanding about the subject between developed and developing member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The issue came up for discussion during a recent meeting of senior officials of WTO members in Geneva last week. India stated that the definition should be clear about digital goods and services because customs duties are there on goods and not on services.