India–EU Digital Trade Chapter to Boost Secure Cross-Border Commerce

A key feature of the digital trade chapter is its recognition of the importance of regulatory and technical cooperation to integrate Indian startups and MSMEs into expanding digital trade opportunities.

 The digital trade chapter of the proposed India–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) establishes a facilitative framework aimed at creating a secure, trusted and seamless environment for electronic transactions, strengthening the future growth of goods and services trade between India and the EU.

The chapter promotes modern trade-enabling tools such as:

• Paperless trade

• E-invoicing

• E-contracts

• E-authentication

• Secure digital transaction systems

These measures are expected to reduce friction in cross-border commerce while enhancing consumer confidence and business trust in the digital marketplace.

Supporting Startups and MSMEs in Digital Trade Growth

A key feature of the digital trade chapter is its recognition of the importance of regulatory and technical cooperation to integrate Indian startups and MSMEs into expanding digital trade opportunities.

Provisions covering:

• Online consumer protection

• Cybersecurity cooperation

• Control of unsolicited electronic messages

• Source code safeguards

are designed to build trust among consumers and businesses and ensure a transparent environment for electronic trade.

India–EU Agreement on Advanced Electronic Signatures

At the 16th India–EU Summit, India and the European Commission signed and exchanged an Administrative Arrangement on Advanced Electronic Signatures and Seals on January 27, 2026.

The arrangement provides a framework for interoperability of:

• Electronic signatures

• Electronic seals

• Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) systems

This cooperation, consistent with Indian and EU legal frameworks, will promote secure and trusted electronic authentication in cross-border digital transactions, enabling service providers to fully utilise market access opportunities created under the India–EU FTA.

Strengthening India’s Digital Public Infrastructure

The Government has taken major steps to strengthen digital infrastructure, compliance platforms and cybersecurity resilience.

Key national initiatives include:

Aadhaar:The world’s largest digital identity programme, with 143+ crore Aadhaar IDs generated.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI):UPI supports 6.5 crore merchants and connects 685 banks, powering:

• 81% of India’s digital payments

• Nearly 49% of global real-time digital payments

DigiLocker:More than 65.01 crore registered users, with:

• 950+ crore documents issued

• 2,412 issuers onboarded

UMANG App:A single mobile platform providing 2,390+ government services.

Cybersecurity Architecture and Enforcement

India has strengthened its cybersecurity ecosystem through multiple national institutions:

• CERT-In as the national nodal incident response agency

• National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC) for threat monitoring and intelligence sharing

• Cyber Swachhta Kendra (CSK) for malware removal and cyber hygiene awareness

• Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) for coordinated action against cybercrime

• NCIIPC for protection of critical information infrastructure

Preparedness measures include automated threat intelligence exchange platforms, regular cybersecurity mock drills and a Cyber Crisis Management Plan across ministries and critical sectors.

Sector-specific frameworks such as CSIRT-Fin support the financial ecosystem, while awareness campaigns like National Cyber Security Awareness Month and Cyber Jagrookta Diwas strengthen citizen resilience.

Building Future-Ready Digital Skills

The Government is also investing heavily in digital skilling and emerging technology training.

IndiaAI FutureSkills (IndiaAI Mission):Support provided for:

• 500 PhD fellows

• 5,000 postgraduates

• 8,000 undergraduates

So far, 290 fellowships have been awarded.

IndiaAI Data and AI Labs:

• 27 labs established in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities

• 543 ITIs and polytechnics approved for additional labs

FutureSkills Prime (MeitY–NASSCOM):A national platform for skilling in AI, IoT, cybersecurity, blockchain, AR/VR and more.

• 26.2 lakh registrations

• 16.65 lakh+ enrolled/trainedPortal: https://futureskillsprime.in/

NIELIT Digital Literacy:NIELIT has trained 43 lakh+ candidates through:

• 56 centres

• 9,000+ accredited training partners

Parliamentary Statement

This information was submitted by Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Shri Jitin Prasada in the Rajya Sabha on February 13, 2026.

The digital trade chapter and India–EU cooperation on secure electronic signatures underline India’s readiness to lead in trusted digital commerce, while leveraging its digital public infrastructure and skilled talent base to expand global trade partnerships.