100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is allowed in ‘E-commerce’ through automatic route: Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person Resident outside India) (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2017 [RESERVE BANK OF INDIA (Foreign Exchange Department) NOTIFICATION No. FEMA.387/2017-RB dated 09-03-2017]
G.S.R. 224 (E).—In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (b) of sub-section (3) of Section 6 and Section 47 of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999), the Reserve Bank of India hereby makes the following amendments in the Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or issue of Security by a Person Resident outside India)
Regulations, 2000 (Notification No. FEMA. 20/2000-RB dated 3rd May 2000) namely:-
1. Short Title & Commencement
(i) These Regulations may be called the Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person Resident outside India) (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2017.
(ii) They shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. Amendment of the Regulations
In the Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person Resident outside India) Regulations, 2000, (Notification No. FEMA 20/2000-RB dated 3rd May 2000), in Regulations 2,
i. after the sub-regulation (ii dd) and before the existing sub-regulation (ii e), the following sub-regulations shall
be inserted:
“(ii E) E-commerce:
a. ‘E-commerce’ means buying and selling of goods and services including digital products over digital &
electronic network.
b. ‘E-commerce entity’ means a company incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 or the Companies Act,
2013 or a foreign company covered under section 2 (42) of the Companies Act, 2013 or an office, branch or
agency in India as provided in Section 2 (v) (iii) of FEMA 1999, owned or controlled by a person resident
outside India and conducting the e-commerce business.
c. ‘Inventory based model of e-commerce’ means an e-commerce activity where inventory of goods and services is owned by e-commerce entity and is sold to the consumers directly.
d. ‘Market place model of e-commerce’ means providing of an information technology platform by an ecommerce
entity on a digital & electronic network to act as a facilitator between buyer and seller.”
3. Amendment of Schedule 1
In the Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person Resident outside India) Regulations, 2000, (Notification No. FEMA 20/2000-RB dated 3rd May 2000), in Schedule 1, in the existing Annex B, the existing entry 16.2 shall be substituted by the following:
| 16.2 | E-Commerce | % of equity/FDI Cap | Entry route |
| 16.2.1 | B2B E-commerce activities | 100 % | Automatic |
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Such companies would engage only in Business to Business (B2B) e-commerce and not in retail trading,
inter alia implying that existing restrictions on FDI in domestic trading would be applicable to e-commerce as well. |
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| 16.2.2 | Market place model of e-commerce | 100 % | Automatic |
| 16.2.3 | Other Conditions | ||
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a) Digital & electronic network will include network of computers, television channels and any other internet application used in automated manner such as web pages, extranets, mobiles etc.
b) Marketplace e-commerce entity will be permitted to enter into transactions with sellers registered on its platform on B2B basis. c) E-commerce marketplace may provide support services to sellers in respect of warehousing, logistics, order fulfilment, call centre, payment collection and other services. d) E-commerce entity providing a marketplace will not exercise ownership over the inventory i.e. goods purported to be sold. Such an ownership over the inventory will render the business into inventory based model. e) An e-commerce entity will not permit more than 25% of the sales value on financial year basis affected through its marketplace from one vendor or their group companies. f) Goods/services made available for sale electronically on website should clearly provide name, address and other contact details of the seller. Post sales, delivery of goods to the customers and customer satisfaction will be responsibility of the seller. g) Payments for sale may be facilitated by the e-commerce entity in conformity with the guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India. h) Any warranty /guarantee of goods and services sold will be responsibility of the seller. i) E-commerce entities providing marketplace will not directly or indirectly influence the sale price of goods or services and shall maintain level playing field. j) Guidelines on cash and carry wholesale trading as given in S.No. 16.1.2 (stated above) shall apply to B2B e-commerce activities. Note: FDI is not permitted in inventory based model of e-commerce. |
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| 16.2.4
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Sale of services through e-commerce shall be under automatic route subject to the sector specific conditions, applicable laws/regulations, security and other conditionalities. | ||
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