Copyright thehindubusinessline
India has urged members of the WTO to work towards addressing the digital divide between countries and enterprises in terms of access to technologies and digital infrastructure. This is to ensure inclusive participation of developing and least developed countries in global e-commerce. Its suggestions, made at a meeting on the ‘work programme on e-commerce’, include sharing national experiences on e-commerce and IP, discussing existing gaps in digital infrastructure, focussing on prompting secure and interoperable digital public infrastructure and discussing possible online platform for technology exchange. “The WTO has a unique opportunity to contribute towards addressing the digital divide in terms of digital infrastructure and access to technology that hinders the inclusive participation of developing and least developed countries in global e-commerce. The members need to explore the appropriate framework in this regard,” it noted in its submission titled ‘Digital public infrastructure (DPI) as driver for digital inclusion and competitive e-commerce’ India invited other members to share their national experiences in the context of e-commerce and IP and its development dimension. “These experiences and best practices can also be compiled for easy reference of the WTO members,” it said in its proposal. At an earlier meeting on the ‘work-programme on e-commerce’ in January 2025, members shared information on national efforts to close the digital divide. Initiatives include support for regional studies on the digital economy, and online systems to reduce business operational costs and to foster inclusive digital ecosystems. Programmes focused on developing digital skills and digital infrastructure, efforts to expand internet access in underserved regions, promoting secure internet access and digital literacy, improving internet and mobile networks, and developing digital literacy and skills among women and vulnerable groups, were some of the other examples shared. India, in its latest submission, proposed that discussions should take place on how WTO members can promote secure and interoperable digital public infrastructure and adopt the DPI approach in the context of e-commerce to prevent monopolistic market segmentation by big tech companies and to promote competition and MSMEs in e-commerce. It also suggested discussions on 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 or the Council for TRIPS could play a role in addressing the same. India also came up with the idea of a possible online platform for technology exchange to support global efforts to address the digital divide in collaboration with relevant stakeholders. “These engagements may provide the foundation to discuss specific steps that can be recommended by the Council for TRIPS to the General Council in the context of the work programme on e-commerce related to IP, especially in the development context,” it said. Published on November 2, 2025
