E-commerce promise for a Viksit Bharat

The goal should not be regulation of the sector for its own sake, but a framework that fuels growth and fairness equally

- DHANENDRA KUMAR

E-COMMERCE IS ONE of the defining narratives of India’s economic transformation.What began as a niche, urban-centric phenomenon has rapidly become a core pillar of economy, MSME empowerment, jobs, retail, digital payments, logistics,and exports. Yet the question is, howcan we harness its full promise for Viksit Bharatwith fair competition and inclusive growth?

India’s e-commerce marketis projected to expand from around $125 billion in 2024 to $345 billion by 2030,and approach $550 billion by 2035 driven by rising internet penetration, smartphone adoption, ease in transactions, and growing middle-class consumption. Significantly, Flipkart, the largest platform, has got an approval to flip back to India, paving the way for an initial public offering.

Domestic digital payments underpin this growth. Unified Payments Interface (UPI) processed an astounding 20 billion transactions with nearly $289 billion in value last August alone, showing how deeply digital commerce has permeated everyday life, including in tier-II and -III cities.

With scale comes scrutiny—particularly over competition and fair play. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) rightly recognised that e-commerce brings novel market dynamics that differ from traditional retail. Its enforcement actions and investigations into practices were meant to uphold competition law while allowing markets to evolve organically. Judicial oversight has reinforced the CCI’s mandate, ensuring that checks and balances operate within the constitutional and legal framework.