|
DGFT invites suggestions on ‘The Digital Trade Facilitation Bill, 2026’ from pharma exporters
|
|
Shardul Nautiyal, Mumbai
February 12 , 2026
|
|
|
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Union ministry of commerce and industry has invited comments and suggestions on the draft of ‘The Digital Trade Facilitation Bill, 2026’ from pharma exporters, the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil), trade and industry associations, academia and legal experts.
Comments on the draft Digital Trade Facilitation Bill, 2026 have been invited with reference to the announcement in the Union Budget 2025–26 for implementing BharatTradeNet as a Digital Public Infrastructure for trade.
As per the DGFT, it has been felt that the existing legal framework does not fully recognise electronic trade documents or provide a comprehensive basis for cross-border digital trust services, constraining interoperability with global digital trade systems. Accordingly, a draft has been prepared for ‘The Digital Trade Facilitation Bill, 2026’ to address these requirements.
“The proposed ‘Digital Trade Facilitation Bill, 2026’ seeks to provide statutory recognition to electronic trade documents, enable trusted digital verification mechanisms, and facilitate secure cross-border exchange of trade records. A copy of the draft Bill is available with the Trade Notice on the DGFT website for soliciting feedback, comments and suggestions of the ecosystem stakeholders and the industry experts. Inputs must be submitted within 30 days of issuance of the Trade Notice at the e-mail: tradefinance-dgft@gov.in,” stated Moin Afaque, Joint director general (Joint DG) of Foreign Trade.
The Digital Trade Facilitation Bill, 2026 is a Bill to provide legal recognition, validity and enforceability to electronic trade documents and to regulate the use, management and cross-border recognition of digital identity and trust services and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
This Bill may be called The Digital Trade Facilitation Bill, 2026. It shall come into force on such date as the Central government may, by notification in the Official Gazette. If any question arises concerning any matter not expressly dealt with in this Bill, such matter shall be settled in accordance with the general principles of commercial practice commonly accepted in India, regard being had to the international origin of this Bill and the need to promote uniformity in its application.
This Bill shall be read in conjunction with, and shall not derogate from, the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), 2019 and the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000. This Bill shall apply to such electronic trade documents as are specified in the First Schedule.
Nothing in this Bill shall affect- (a) the application of any law for the time being in force relating to data privacy or data protection; or, (b) any paper trade document or any electronic trade document issued before the date on which this Bill comes into force; or, (c) the provisions of the IT Act, 2000 (21 of 2000), or any rules or regulations made thereunder, in relation to trust services already existing or regulated under that Act.
The Central government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, add to, omit from, or otherwise amend the First Schedule or the Second Schedule.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOPICS
|
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, has issued a public advisory urging citizens to report any misleadi ...
|
|
|
|
|