New Delhi [India], October 22 (ANI): Government officials and industry representatives have called for constructive engagement between policymakers and the e-commerce industry as India's digital commerce ecosystem evolves, with discussions focusing on consumer choice, innovation, workforce skills and the infrastructure required to support the sector's expansion.

The discussions took place at the inaugural conference of the Digital Commerce Coalition (DCC), titled Inside Commerce: Shaping India's Digital Commerce Ecosystem, held at the India International Centre Annexe in New Delhi on Thursday.

The event brought together industry leaders, policymakers and experts to discuss how the growing use of digital platforms is changing consumer shopping habits, business operations and the broader retail landscape.

Ateesh Kumar Singh, Additional Secretary at the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), said the rapidly changing nature of e-commerce required constructive engagement between the government and industry to develop policies that support innovation.

'India's digital commerce ecosystem is evolving rapidly, bringing new models, technologies and opportunities for businesses and consumers,' Singh said.

He added that the government and industry needed to work together and bring greater nuance to policy discussions to support the development of the sector.

The discussions also highlighted the implications of digital commerce for employment and workforce development.

In his keynote address, Chandra Bhushan Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, said the government was taking steps to equip workers with relevant skills, expand social security coverage and create opportunities for career advancement as the nature of work changes.

He said cooperation between the government, industry and workers was important to ensure that the benefits of economic growth reached different sections of society.

The conference also examined how e-commerce platforms are expanding consumer access to products and brands beyond local markets.

Chetan Krishnaswamy, Vice President of Public Policy at Amazon, said digital commerce had widened access to products and enabled consumers to discover businesses beyond their immediate neighbourhoods.

He emphasised the importance of cooperation between industry leaders and government bodies to ensure that innovation benefits consumers and supports the growth of local entrepreneurs.

The event also focused on the infrastructure needed to support the expansion of digital commerce. A panel titled Delivering at Scale: The Next Phase for India's Fulfilment Backbone examined the role of logistics networks, fulfilment infrastructure and operational innovation in supporting the sector.

Another panel, Towards Circularity in Retail Value Chains, discussed sustainability and approaches to advancing circularity across retail supply chains.

The conference comes as India and its businesses increasingly adopt digital channels to reach consumers. Discussions at the event centred on building an ecosystem that supports consumer choice, encourages innovation and enables smaller businesses to participate in the digital economy.

Vivan Sharan of the Digital Commerce Coalition Secretariat said the organisation aimed to facilitate evidence-based discussions between industry stakeholders and policymakers on the opportunities and challenges shaping India's digital commerce sector.

The discussions highlighted the importance of continued engagement between the government and industry as digital commerce evolves, particularly in addressing the policy, employment and infrastructure issues associated with the sector's expansion. (ANI)