Opinion | India’s draft e-commerce policy is more a miss than a hit

The much-anticipated draft e-commerce policy was released on 23 February. It was supposed to consolidate the government’s regulation of the e-commerce industry into one place, providing much-needed clarity on various issues that have so far only been addressed in the foreign direct investment (FDI) guidelines.

However, the 42-page document we’ve been given leaves a lot to be desired. It has used such broad brushstrokes that the unintended consequences will be significant. More importantly perhaps, many of the principles upon which its recommendations have been made are based on shaky foundations.

Take for example, the manner in which the draft e-commerce policy addresses the question of ownership of personal data.