India Positioned to Advance Cross-Border Paperless Trade, Experts Say
Policymakers and industry leaders highlight country's growing digital trade infrastructure at Asia-Pacific forum
NEW DELHI — India has emerged as one of the leading countries in trade digitalisation and is well positioned to advance toward seamless cross-border paperless trade, according to policymakers, industry leaders, and trade experts participating in a regional forum in Bangkok.
The assessment was made during a high-level session titled “India’s Trade Digitalisation: From Domestic to Cross-Border Integration” at the Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum x Paperless Trade Week (APTFF x PTW) 2026.
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 partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP), examined how India’s digital trade infrastructure can support greater regional integration and facilitate cross-border paperless trade.
Participants noted that paperless trade has become increasingly important as governments and businesses seek to address geopolitical uncertainties, rising logistics costs, and growing compliance requirements.
Experts at the forum said India has already achieved full implementation of domestic paperless trade measures and has made significant progress in cross-border paperless trade over the past decade.
Several digital platforms were cited as examples of India’s expanding capabilities in trade facilitation, including ICEGATE, the customs electronic data interchange gateway; SWIFT-based systems; faceless customs assessment; and the proposed BharatTradeNet platform. Participants said these initiatives demonstrate India’s readiness to strengthen digital connectivity and interoperability with trading partners.
During the event, ICRIER, RIS, and the Centre for WTO Studies jointly released a policy brief titled India’s Drive Towards Paperless Trade: Recent Developments and the Way Forward.
According to the study, India has developed much of the digital infrastructure and institutional framework needed to join the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific (CPTA). Researchers said accession to the agreement could help reduce trade costs, improve efficiency, and strengthen regional economic integration.
Participants also highlighted the proposed Trade Facilitation Bill, 2026, which is expected to provide legal recognition to electronic trade documents and bring India’s regulatory framework into closer alignment with international standards.
Experts emphasized that further progress will require greater interoperability between digital systems used by trading partners, pilot projects to test cross-border paperless trade mechanisms, and expanded capacity-building efforts.
They also called for stronger support for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), including wider access to digital trade platforms and simplified compliance procedures aimed at reducing the cost and complexity of international trade.
The discussions underscored India’s growing role in shaping digital trade practices in the Asia-Pacific region as countries increasingly adopt technology-driven approaches to trade facilitation.
