In a booster dose for e-commerce businesses, the Centre has agreed to provide fiscal incentives for exports shipped through e-commerce platforms.

To begin with, this facility will be available for shipments effected from Delhi and Mumbai, the Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Anand Sharma, announced here today as part of the annual supplement to the trade policy.

This initiative could boost exports of handicrafts, gems & jewellery, carpets, music CDs and electronic items from the country, said Mr Ajai Sahai, Director General & CEO, Federation of Indian export organisations.

FIEO had suggested to the department of commerce that export benefits should be available for exports shipped through e-commerce platforms.

It is not only exports through e-commerce platforms, even exports through posts and couriers would be eligible for export incentives, the Government has said.

Says DHL Express CEO, South Asia, Mr Malcolm Monteiro, “We in the Express logistics industry warmly welcome the decision to make exports shipped through Express and E-Commerce from Delhi and Mumbai eligible for export benefits. We look forward to the logical next step from Customs to allow commercial export shipments through courier giving the Indian exporter the choice to use the best logistic platform as per their requirements.

We are also encouraged to see that trade facilitation continues to be a key pillar of foreign trade policy. Better trade facilitation would allow Indian exporters to truly leverage the fantastic work that the government has done in terms of incentivising exporters and opening new markets through bilateral agreements.”

krsrivats@thehindu.co.in

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