India is at the forefront of trade digitalisation, aiming to progress towards smooth cross-border paperless trade, as highlighted by policymakers, industry leaders, and trade experts. This acknowledgment came during a significant session on India’s Trade Digitalisation at the Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum x Paperless Trade Week 2026 in Bangkok. The event, organized by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) and the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and UN-ESCAP, emphasized leveraging India’s digital trade infrastructure for enhancing regional integration and facilitating cross-border paperless trade.
Participants also emphasized the shift of paperless trade from a mere trade facilitation tool to a strategic necessity amidst geopolitical uncertainties, escalating logistics costs, and growing compliance demands. India has successfully implemented domestic paperless trade measures and significantly enhanced its performance in cross-border paperless trade over the past decade, experts noted. Noteworthy platforms like ICEGATE, SWIFT, faceless customs assessment, and the proposed BharatTradeNet were cited as examples of India’s expanding digital trade capabilities and readiness for enhanced regional interoperability.
Furthermore, a joint policy brief titled “India’s Drive Towards Paperless Trade: Recent Developments and the Way Forward” was released by ICRIER, RIS, and the Centre for WTO Studies during the event. The study affirmed that India possesses the necessary digital infrastructure and institutional framework to accede to the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific (CPTA), which could lead to reduced trade costs and reinforced regional integration. Additionally, the significance of the anticipated Trade Facilitation Bill, 2026, was underscored for granting legal recognition to electronic trade documents and aligning India’s regulatory framework with global standards.
Experts also stressed the importance of enhancing interoperability with partner nations, conducting pilot projects on cross-border paperless trade, expanding capacity-building initiatives, and bolstering support for MSMEs through digital trade platforms and simplified compliance procedures.
