GUIDELINES FOR FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN E-COMMERCE

The petition filed by the Footwear Manufacturers & Retailers Association before the High Court of Delhi (the “High Court”) last year, alleging violation by the e-commerce players of the regime governing foreign direct investments (the “FDI”) in India (the “FDI Policy”) and the subsequent order of the High Court directing investigation into the matter has spooked foreign investors and the industry players in this sector. To bolster the confidence of foreign investors and the industry players, the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (the “DIPP”) has released Press Note 3 (2016 Series) dated March 29, 2016 (the “Press Note”) , which lays down regulatory boundaries of the FDI in the e-commerce sector with immediate effect.