Explanation:

India has maintained that e-commerce per se may be good for development but it may not be prudent to begin talks since many countries don’t fully understand the implications of negotiating binding rules. India has for the first time submitted a formal document opposing any negotiations on e-commerce at the WTO. The country has said that it would “continue the work under the Work Programme on electronic commerce... based on the existing mandate and guidelines”, referring to the programme on e- commerce adopted by the WTO countries in 1998. E- commerce entered the WTO in 1998, when member countries agreed not to impose customs duties on electronic transmissions, and the moratorium has been extended periodically. However, since last year, many countries have made submissions on various aspects of digital trade such as cross-border data flows, server localization, technology transfer, source code, consumer protection, intellectual property rights and trade facilitation aspects of e- commerce. While the United States last year floated a proposal on e-commerce prohibiting digital customs duties, enabling cross-border data flows, promoting a free and open internet and preventing localization barriers, China wants easier norms for goods ordered over the internet but physically delivered. The European Union, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Nigeria and Singapore too want outcomes in e- commerce disciplines. Intense efforts are now being made by some countries to secure a mandate to initiate comprehensive negotiations on e-commerce.