E-commerce can spur intra-South Asia trade: World Bank

E-commerce can become a driver of growth across South Asia and boost trade among the region’s countries, but its potential remains largely untapped, says a new World Bank report.

This report, Unleashing E-Commerce for South Asian Integration, notes that although e-commerce has grown significantly in South Asia, online sales accounted for a mere 1.6 per cent and 0.7 per cent of total retail sales in India and Bangladesh, compared to 15 per cent in China and around 14 per cent globally.

Increasing the use of e-commerce by consumers and firms in South Asia could potentially help boost competition and firm productivity, and encourage diversification of production and exports, the report added.

Like the European Union’s Digital Single market proposal, South Asia could aspire to have a regionally integrated Business-to-Consumer (B2C) e-commerce market, the report suggested.