News for 'The E-Commerce Council of India'

Gulf Conflict: 300,000 Jobs At Risk

Gulf Conflict: 300,000 Jobs At Risk

Rediff.com17 Mar 2026

'If movement remains stalled for three to four months, more than 300,000 recruitments from India could be affected.'

E-commerce firms in India form their own lobby group

E-commerce firms in India form their own lobby group

Rediff.com14 Mar 2019

The founding members of The E-Commerce Council of India include Snapdeal, ShopClues, UrbanClap, Shop101, Flyrobe and Fynd, among others.

Amazon to invest $35 billion in India by 2030 across businesses

Amazon to invest $35 billion in India by 2030 across businesses

Rediff.com10 Dec 2025

E-commerce giant Amazon plans to make a mega-investment of $35 billion, over Rs 3.14 lakh crore, in India by 2030 across its businesses with a focus on AI-driven digitization, export growth and job creation, a senior company official said on Wednesday.

GST 2.0: AC, TV dealers see spike in sales on Day-1

GST 2.0: AC, TV dealers see spike in sales on Day-1

Rediff.com22 Sep 2025

As lower GST rates take effect on Monday, sales of air-conditioners, TV sets surged dramatically with buyers rushing to grab cheaper deals offered by retailers at the beginning of the Navratra festival.

Delhi baba booked for sexually harassing 17 students at his institute

Delhi baba booked for sexually harassing 17 students at his institute

Rediff.com24 Sep 2025

Female students alleged that Saraswati used abusive language, sent obscene messages, and made unwanted physical advances.

Onboarding of e-commerce giants crucial to ensure success of ONDC

Onboarding of e-commerce giants crucial to ensure success of ONDC

Rediff.com15 Sep 2022

When Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) was conceived last December, the idea was to reduce the dominance of e-commerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart. It was also to bring in a level-playing field for small merchants in India's fragmented but fast-growing $1-trillion retail market. However, those goals have changed now as large e-commerce players such as Flipkart, Amazon and Ecom Express are in various levels of talks with the ONDC team. They want to form partnerships like integrating with the network as well as providing their expertise to build it, according to the industry sources.

The major decisions taken by the GST Council

The major decisions taken by the GST Council

Rediff.com22 Jun 2024

In order to reduce government litigations, the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said the GST Council has fixed a monetary limit for filing appeals by the tax department before the various appellate authorities. It has recommended a monetary limit of Rs 20 lakh for GST Appellate Tribunal, Rs 1 crore for the High Court and Rs 2 crore for the Supreme Court for filing of appeals by the department before these legal forums, she said after the 53rd GST Council meeting held in New Delhi.

US Firms Back Trump's India Tariffs

US Firms Back Trump's India Tariffs

Rediff.com31 Mar 2025

Industry associations and companies in the United States, including the US Chamber of Commerce, Coalition of Services Industries and the iconic bike company Harley Davidson have called on the Donald Trump dispensation to push India to reduce tariffs, non-tariffs, and regulatory barriers to boost American exports.

Troubled times ahead for India's e-commerce start-ups

Troubled times ahead for India's e-commerce start-ups

Rediff.com10 Mar 2016

Morgan Stanley writing down its investment in the e-commerce leader by 27 per cent does not augur well for the sector.

The other e-commerce

The other e-commerce

Rediff.com8 Oct 2014

What will it take to get India's poor broadband penetration to be seen as a problem and not as a condition, thus enabling real, serious e-commerce to take off in India?

India's internet economy likely to reach $1 trillion by 2030: Experts

India's internet economy likely to reach $1 trillion by 2030: Experts

Rediff.com17 May 2024

India's internet economy is estimated to reach $1 trillion by 2030, primarily due to e-commerce, which is expected to be worth $325 billion and rank third globally, according to industry experts. Last year marked a crucial turning point for India's e-commerce sector, with notable changes in consumer trends, technology, and regulations. InGovern Research Services, a leading corporate governance advisory firm, hosted a virtual roundtable to deliberate on the notable developments in India's e-commerce sector in 2023, with a particular focus on the essential role of customer trust in fueling its ongoing expansion.

Gold demand in India saw 5% rise at 802.8 tonnes in 2024

Gold demand in India saw 5% rise at 802.8 tonnes in 2024

Rediff.com5 Feb 2025

Gold demand in India witnessed a 5 per cent on-year rise at 802.8 tonnes in 2024 supported by reduction in import duty, and purchases related to weddings and festivals, and going ahead consumption of the yellow metal in 2025 is likely to be between 700-800 tonnes, according to the the World Gold Council. The World Gold Council (WGC) in a report on Wednesday said gold demand in the country in 2024 stood at 802.8 tonnes, as against 761 tonnes in 2023.

E-commerce, tech firms call for clarity on Personal Data Protection Bill

E-commerce, tech firms call for clarity on Personal Data Protection Bill

Rediff.com5 Dec 2019

The biggest fear many of the e-commerce firms have is the possible requirement to change business models overnight, which would drastically increase costs as well as disrupt businesses.

Trump 2.0: Govt In Wait-And-Watch Mood

Trump 2.0: Govt In Wait-And-Watch Mood

Rediff.com8 Nov 2024

'We may see even more restrictive policies during 2.0.'

Exports dip 1.2% in Jul; trade deficit widens to $23.5 bn

Exports dip 1.2% in Jul; trade deficit widens to $23.5 bn

Rediff.com14 Aug 2024

After remaining in the positive zone for three months, India's exports contracted 1.2 per cent to $33.98 billion in July, while the trade deficit widened to $23.5 billion.

How to get more bang for the buck out of field agents

How to get more bang for the buck out of field agents

Rediff.com23 Jan 2025

Will allowing business correspondents to hawk insurance products help in reviving 5-lakh strong field agents as a viable channel?

FTAs, reviving exports to be commerce ministry's focus

FTAs, reviving exports to be commerce ministry's focus

Rediff.com18 Jun 2024

Another priority in the first 100 days could be the launch of an e-platform -- Trade Connect -- to help exporters connect with stakeholders of international trade.

Govt to issue guidelines for social media influencers over endorsements

Govt to issue guidelines for social media influencers over endorsements

Rediff.com7 Sep 2022

The government will soon come out with guidelines for social media influencers, making it mandatory for them to declare their association with the product they endorse, sources said.

Future of digital payments in India

Future of digital payments in India

Rediff.com20 Mar 2024

'The focus needs to shift towards the ability to collect payments, particularly in tier-3 to tier-4 areas where acceptance is still lacking.'

E-com firms want govt to 'tweak' existing export policies

E-com firms want govt to 'tweak' existing export policies

Rediff.com9 Mar 2021

E-commerce firms and sellers including Amazon and eBay have made recommendations to the government for a differentiated policy framework for e-commerce in the revised Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) which is expected to come into effect from April 1, 2021. This is because the existing policies on exports have catered largely to traditional, offline and business-to-business exports. Suggestions have been made to the government that through the FTP, it is important to create a conducive policy framework for e-commerce exports that lowers the entry barrier for small businesses to start exporting, according to the industry sources.

Jewellers expect strong demand during Dhanteras

Jewellers expect strong demand during Dhanteras

Rediff.com31 Oct 2021

With Indian jewellery market already on the robust recovery path, the jewellers are expecting strong Diwali sales in the Dhanteras as the festive mood remains high with low Covid third wave possibility and softer gold price this season. The industry expects the trends in 2021 will be able to reach pre-covid level sales of 2019 on the back of gold price hovering at Rs 46,000-47,000 per 22 carat 10 grams gold nearly 5 per cent lower than 2020, and jump in number of weddings, a senior official of an industry body said. "Since Navratri market is showing demand. It will continue on Dhanteras also.

Govt plans short-term foreign trade policy, may release before Sep

Govt plans short-term foreign trade policy, may release before Sep

Rediff.com28 Jul 2022

The government may roll out a new foreign trade policy (FTP) of a shorter term of two-three years in a bid to keep pace with the fast-evolving scenarios in international trade which have been triggered by recent disruptions, such as the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. An FTP is an elaborate policy guideline and strategy to promote the export of goods and services, with a duration of five years usually. The existing policy came into force on April 1, 2015, and was valid for five years, before multiple extensions.

Card tokenisation deadline extended by 3 months till Sep-end

Card tokenisation deadline extended by 3 months till Sep-end

Rediff.com24 Jun 2022

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday extended the card-on-file (CoF) tokenisation deadline by three months to September 30, 2022, in view of various representations received from industry bodies. Card-on-file, or CoF, refers to card information stored by payment gateway and merchants to process future transactions. Tokenisation is the process of replacing actual card details with a unique alternate code called 'Token' - thereby enabling more secure transactions.

Bengal Durga Puja economy may expand by 20-30%

Bengal Durga Puja economy may expand by 20-30%

Rediff.com2 Oct 2022

After the Covid-19 pandemic that derailed the economy since 2019, the Durga Puja festival in West Bengal is back with an estimated 20-30 per cent jump in festive spending. Retail sector is the key contributor to the state's Durga Puja economy which was Rs 32,377 crore in 2019, according to a British Council study conducted for the state government. Retail accounts for 85 per cent of the total puja economy and the rest is shared among pandal making, decoration, illumination, entertainment, advertisement, food & beverage and others.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to visit India this month

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to visit India this month

Rediff.com13 Feb 2020

Nadella's visit comes at a time when the Indian government is taking a strong position on issues like data localisation and tightening the rules for e-commerce companies as well as social media platforms.

India, US have 'almost closed' contours of limited trade pact: Goyal

India, US have 'almost closed' contours of limited trade pact: Goyal

Rediff.com25 Feb 2020

Having almost closed the last contours of the limited trade deal and with the announcement of a much larger trade deal in the offing, we have moved to a new level of engagement: Goyal.

Import duty on diamonds, gemstones cut to 5%

Import duty on diamonds, gemstones cut to 5%

Rediff.com1 Feb 2022

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday announced cutting import duty on cut and polished diamonds and gemstones to 5 per cent while on sawn diamond to nil in order to boost the sector. At present, import duty on cut and polished diamonds as well as gemstones is 7.5 per cent. Presenting the Budget for 2022-23 in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman also announced that the government will facilitate export of jewellery through e-commerce for which it will implement a "simplified regulatory framework" by June this year.

India, a nation of Unicorns?

India, a nation of Unicorns?

Rediff.com26 Oct 2018

As 8 new startups join the 2018 club, average time taken to be a $1 billion firm now stands at 5-7 years, next only to China, says a Nasscom report

Issues India must focus on while negotiating trade deals

Issues India must focus on while negotiating trade deals

Rediff.com17 Nov 2021

As India goes into firming up trade deals with developed nations like Australia, the United Kingdom (UK) and the regional bloc, and the European Union (EU), it will have to be well prepared to negotiate on new-generation issues, such as data protection regulation, e-commerce, and environment. India is yet to negotiate pacts with its trading partners on these evolving issues since discussions between them have until now been largely focused on tariff and non-tariff barriers and the rules of origin. "We can no longer look at trade just as trade. We have to look at it in totality of global and regional conditions.

HC seeks status report from govt on illegal sale of medicines online

HC seeks status report from govt on illegal sale of medicines online

Rediff.com15 Mar 2023

The petitioner's lawyer interjected the rules are being framed for the last 5-6 years but nothing concrete has been done yet.

What's Greenwashing?

What's Greenwashing?

Rediff.com21 Apr 2023

Greenwashing is making misleading or false environment-friendly claims about a product. Consumers in India currently do not have any way of telling whether a claim is authentic or greenwashing. And one never hears of action against any company for making false claims of being environment-friendly.

GST draft law brings all online purchases under its purview

GST draft law brings all online purchases under its purview

Rediff.com15 Jun 2016

The tax, in lieu of local levies, will be imposed at the first point of a financial transaction.

Education, health and personal care ads worst offenders

Education, health and personal care ads worst offenders

Rediff.com29 Jun 2022

Education, healthcare and personal care are the most violative categories of ads, according to the annual complaints report of India's advertising regulator for the last financial year. The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) on Tuesday released its annual complaints report for April 2021-March 2022, taking into account print, television and digital media as it processed 5,532 ads - a sharp rise of 62 per cent from 2020-21. It processed 7,631 complaints - an increase of 25 per cent from last year. Of these, 75 per cent were taken up suo motu by the regulatory body's own artificial intelligence-based tracking system.

Despite Covid surge, TV advertising volumes rise 64% YoY

Despite Covid surge, TV advertising volumes rise 64% YoY

Rediff.com18 Jun 2021

Advertising on television continued to show momentum in May despite the surge in Covid-19 infections and the temporary suspension of the Indian Premier League (IPL), a high-impact television property. The data shared by the Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) on Thursday shows that advertising volumes in May were up 64 per cent year-on-year. However, there was a marginal dip sequentially, that is, in comparison to April 2021, when advertising had touched a record high owing to the start of the summer season and the return of the IPL to India after being held in the United Arab Emirates in 2020.

Google tax: American IT and steel lobbies back action against India

Google tax: American IT and steel lobbies back action against India

Rediff.com3 May 2021

The group has called for a retaliatory tariff action against India, if New Delhi does not roll back the 'unilateral and discriminatory' equalisation levy or Google Tax.

Trade pact with Israel 'only when we get a good deal', says Goyal

Trade pact with Israel 'only when we get a good deal', says Goyal

Rediff.com7 Sep 2022

The proposed India-Israel trade pact should be beneficial to both nations and until New Delhi gets a good deal, it would not do an agreement, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said. India and Israel are negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) since May 2010. "With Israel, until we get a good deal, we will not do an FTA. It has to be reciprocally beneficial," the minister said in San Francisco on Tuesday while interacting with the Indian community.

Gujarat, Karnataka are best states for start-ups

Gujarat, Karnataka are best states for start-ups

Rediff.com4 Jul 2022

Gujarat and Karnataka have been ranked as the best performers in developing startup ecosystem for budding entrepreneurs, according to the ranking of states and Union territories by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Among smaller states having population of less than one crore, Meghalaya has been adjudged as the best performer. The rankings are based on the initiatives taken to develop the startup ecosystem for promoting budding entrepreneurs.

100 cities in six months: Govt's ambitious ONDC pilots on Friday

100 cities in six months: Govt's ambitious ONDC pilots on Friday

Rediff.com28 Apr 2022

This will be done across five cities - Delhi, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Bhopal, and Shillong. Thereafter, it will be scaled up and launched in 100 cities over a period of six months, said a senior government official.

Have traders lost faith in Modi government?

Have traders lost faith in Modi government?

Rediff.com2 Mar 2020

CAIT has attributed its displeasure to the economic downturn, and indifferent attitude of ministers/officials towards domestic trade.

'FICCI is focusing on start-ups'

'FICCI is focusing on start-ups'

Rediff.com19 May 2023

'For our traditional membership base, it would be an access to disruptive ideas,' FICCI President Subhrakant Panda tells Asit Mishra/Business Standard.