India’s e-commerce accounts for a mere 3 per cent of the country's total retail transactions, but it is ushering in faster digitisation across the consumption value chain, said Amit Agarwal, Global Senior Vice-President and Country Head, Amazon India.

Speaking at the Bengaluru Tech Summit through a video link, Agarwal said technology and mobile internet have transformed daily life globally and these are likely to have a profound impact on India.

“E-commerce is blurring the line between online and offline and between local and global,” he said.

Agarwal pointed out that the pandemic has particularly highlighted the resilience and optimism of the Indian entrepreneur, as more small businesses and shops are embracing technology to set up an online presence and reinvent themselves. Tens of thousands of neighbourhood stores across the country are expanding their reach by adding more pick-up points, logistics partners, and experience centres, for e-commerce, and truly becoming digital entrepreneurs, he pointed out.

Entrepreneurial spirit

“India must grab this rare opportunity with both hands, by focussing on enabling policies that accelerate this shift. It is important that we ensure a stable and predictable policy framework that attracts long-term investment, and proactively remove paper-cuts impacting ease of doing business online,” he said. Amazon India recently launched a service allowing local shops to establish a digital presence to serve customers in their locality online.

“We are inspired by the undeterred entrepreneurial spirit and the resolve of India’s micro-entrepreneurs, as they adapt and embrace technology to jumpstart their livelihoods,” he added.

Structural shift

These are likely to be a structural shift that propels the country faster towards the vision of a Digital India, catapults ‘Make in India’ to go global at scale, and creates digitally-enabled robust businesses that will power millions of livelihoods and help realise an Atmanirbhar Bharat, Agarwal added.

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