He added that the industry is not seeking any financial support, just a proper regulatory ecosystem including taxation and how returns are handled.
 "Regulatory framework to boost e-commerce exports expected to be in place by September: Commerce Secretary")
Press Trust of India New Delhi
A regulatory framework to boost the country's exports through e-commerce is expected to be in place by September, a senior government official said on Tuesday.
Commerce Secretary Sunil Bhaswal said India's exports through this medium are currently only about $5 billion per year compared to China's $300 billion.
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He said there was huge potential to expand these exports.In this regard, a meeting was held at the ministry on Tuesday with relevant departments, including revenue, and industry representatives in areas such as logistics and market platforms.
“We are working on setting up an e-commerce export hub in the country. We have discussed the framework for it. This is on our 100-day agenda,” Bhaswal told reporters here.
Asked when the framework would be ready, he said by September.
It could reach $50-100 billion over the next few years.
Through these hubs, small producers can more easily sell to aggregators who can then help them find markets and sell to them.
“This will be a framework for e-commerce export hubs and a regulatory ecosystem. These hubs will be set up near airports and seaports,” he said.
Export items with great potential include jewellery, apparel, handicrafts and ODOP (One District One Product) goods.
He added that the industry is not seeking any financial support, just a proper regulatory ecosystem, including taxation and how returns are handled.
DGFT, an agency under the Ministry of Commerce, in collaboration with concerned ministries including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Ministry of Finance, has taken several steps to promote exports through the medium of e-commerce as the sector has huge export opportunities.
Such hubs facilitate export customs clearance and also provide warehousing facilities, customs clearance, returns processing, labelling, testing and repackaging.
General Ajay Sahai, president of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations, had earlier said the facility would be a sort of bonded zone and would facilitate export and import of e-commerce goods and largely resolve the problem of re-importation, as around 25 per cent of goods in e-commerce are re-imported.
Cross-border e-commerce volume was approximately $800 billion last year and is expected to reach $2 trillion by 2030.
India's e-commerce exports could reach $350 billion by 2030, but banking problems are hampering growth and increasing operational costs, according to a report by economic think tank GTRI.
India has set a target of $1 trillion in merchandise exports by 2030, and cross-border e-commerce is seen as one of the ways to achieve this goal.
