India urges WTO to promote secure digital infra for e-commerce

India has suggested that WTO countries should discuss ways to promote secure and interoperable digital public infrastructure for e-commerce to prevent monopolistic market segmentation by big tech companies and encourage participation of MSMEs in the sector.

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The country has also proposed to discuss the existing gaps in terms of digital infrastructure and access to technologies that hinder participation of developing and least developed countries in global e-commerce, and how the WTO (World ‘Trade Organisation) or the Council for TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) can play a role in addressing the same.

According to a communication from India, posted on the WTO platform, India has stated that international collaboration on DPI (digital public infrastructure) systems would address the issue of digital access and divide in the context of e-commerce and IP (intellectual property) and its development dimension.