Indian retailers expect a nod to e-tailing

The government is expected to let Indian companies manufacturing 70% of their goods locally to venture into the burgeoning e-commerce space.  The proposal, which is set to go to the cabinet over the next few weeks, is a follow-up to an announcement made by finance minister Arun Jaitley in his maiden Budget.

Sources said the department of industry policy and promotion (DIPP) will also define what constitutes an “Indian company” after some of the local players raised questions about it.

Since then some of the Indian companies have approached the government, pointing to complete absence of clarity in the current policy regime. Some executives have also said that the retail trading policy drafted by the government has assumed that domestic players don’t have the capability to be in the sector as the rules discriminate against them.

The new policy follows several rounds of consultations with some of the companies that want to enter the space... See more