Second Asia-Pacific E-commerce Policy Summit
Date: 3rd & 4th November 2025 | Time: 10:00 am – 05:30 pm
Venue: Juniper Hall, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi

Agenda

10:00 am – 10:30 am – Registration, Tea/Coffee

10:30 am – 11:30 am – Inaugural Session (Theme: Vision for Advancing APAC’s Digital Trade Ecosystem)

This session will set the stage for the summit by outlining a bold vision for advancing APAC’s digital trade ecosystem. Senior government officials and thought leaders will share policy perspectives on boosting digital inclusion and cross-border e-commerce, emphasizing the significance of digital inclusion in inclusive growth and sustainable trade practices. They will also explore international co-operation frameworks and highlight successful initiatives that can be adapted to support digital inclusion and diverse markets in the region.

Welcome Address:
o Dr Shekhar Aiyar, Director & CE, ICRIER.

Chair:
o Mr. Pramod Bhasin, Chairman, ICRIER

Co-Chair:
o Ms. Mikiko Tanaka, Director – South and Southwest Asia Sub-Regional Office, UNESCAP-SSWA.

Special Address:
o H.E. Mrs. Chea Ratha, Secretary of State, Ministry of Commerce, Royal Government of Cambodia.
o Shri Amit Yadav, Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India

Keynote Address:
o Shri Sasmit Patra, Member of Parliament – Rajya Sabha.

Vote of Thanks:
o Mr. Aman Jain, Director – Public Policy, Amazon India.

11:30 am – 11:45 am – Tea Break

11:45 am – 12:45 pm – Plenary Session: High Level Policy Dialogue on “Digital Empowerment of Women: Connecting them to the Regional and Global Value Chains”

This session will be hosted by the UNESCAP-SSWA, and 4-6 ministers/policymakers from the region will empower women in the global value chain using e-commerce platforms. UNESCAP will also present its training initiatives at the event.

Moderator/Chair:
o Dr. Rajan Sudesh Ratna, Deputy Head, South and South West Asia office, UNESCAP.

Panelist:
o H.E. Mrs. Tashi Wangmo, Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment, Bhutan – Virtually.
o H.E. Mrs. Laxmi Kumari Basnet, Secretary, Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, Nepal.
o Ms. Amrit Raj, Development Commissioner- Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
o Ms. Jeevanthie Senanayake, Director General / CEO, Sustainable Development Council, Sri Lanka.
o Ms. K. Ratna Prabha, Founder President, UBUNTU CONSORTIUM, India.

12:45 pm – 01:45 pm – Networking Lunch

01:45 pm – 2:45 pm – Panel 1: Enabling Seller Growth in APAC’s E-commerce Ecosystem

Through an exploration of policy frameworks, digital literacy initiatives, and cost-effective logistics solutions, this session aims to empower sellers—especially micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)—to expand their global reach. The panelists will showcase best practices in streamlining compliance processes and improving access to market intelligence, export regulations, and cross-border financing. They will also highlight successful collaborations between governments, private sector players, and global e-commerce platforms to sustain inclusive, technology-driven growth across APAC.

Chair:
o Mr. Sumanta Chaudhuri, Former Secretary, Government of India; and International Trade Expert

Co-Chair:
o Mr. Pradeep S. Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS International.

Special Address:
o H.E. Mrs. Chea Ratha, Secretary of State, Ministry of Commerce, Royal Government of Cambodia.
o H.E. Mr. Nicholas McCaffrey, Charge De Affairs, Australian High Commission, India.
o Ms. Anuradha Kumra, Chief Advisor – Retail & Exhibition Partnerships, the KUNJ (Ministry of Textiles, Government of India); and Independent Consultant & Board Member for Retail, Social Enterprises & Academia.

Presenting Preview of the Amazon’s Export Digest and Presentation:
o Mr. Srinidhi Kalvapudi, Head of India Global Selling, Amazon India.

2:45 pm – 3:45 pm – Panel 2: Unlocking Investment Opportunities in Technology & Trade for Cross-Border E-commerce in APAC

By exploring strategic investments in high-impact technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, and advanced logistics, this session will highlight how to catalyze seamless cross-border e-commerce growth across the region. Experts will discuss successful public-private partnership models and explore best practices in financing digital trade infrastructure, ranging from automation-driven customs processes to interconnected trade platforms. These discussions aim to guide policymakers and industry leaders in harnessing technology to enhance efficiency, market integration, and sustainable development.

Moderator/Chair:
o Prof. Sachin Kumar Sharma, Director General, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS)

Special Address:
o Mr. Dammu Ravi, Secretary (ER) (Retd.), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

Panelists:
o Mr. Sung Heun (Rama) Ha, Director, Korea Trade Network (KTNET)
o Mr. Sanjay Notani, Senior Partner, Economic Laws Practice – Virtually.
o Ms. R. V. Anuradha, Partner, Clarus Law Associates.
o Ms. Shiumei Lin, Vice President – Corporate Affairs, UPS Asia Pacific – Virtually.

03:45 pm – 03:50 pm – Release of the ICRIER-RIS Joint Study Report “India and Framework Agreement on Cross-Border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific (CPTA): State of Play and Way Forward’, by Key Dignitaries.

3:50 pm – 04:00 pm – Tea Break

04:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Panel 3: Unlocking Cross-Border Opportunities Through Paperless Trade

This session will examine how paperless trade, and integrated infrastructure can boost efficiency, cut costs, and expand cross-border opportunities in the APAC. Discussions will cover digital customs, automated documentation, and greater MSME participation through regional co-operation and policy alignment. Panelists will share scalable solutions like e-invoicing, digital certificates of origin, etc. Experts will highlight best practices to support inclusive growth and explore avenues for broad adoption of paperless trade.

Moderator/Chair:
o Mr. Anupam Prakash, Joint Secretary (Customs), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

Co-Moderator/Co-Chair:
o Mr. Kazim Rizvi, Founder, The Dialogue.

Presentations:
o Dr. Yann Duval, Chief, Trade Policy and Facilitation Section, UNESCAP on ‘UNESCAP’s paperless trade initiatives’
o Dr. Prabir De, Professor, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), New Delhi on ‘India and Framework Agreement on Cross-Border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific (CPTA): State of Play and Way Forward’.

Panellist:
o Mr. Tahseen Ahmad Khan, Ex-Vice Chair, UN-Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UNCEFACT) and Member, Advisory Committee, UNNExT.
o Mr. Md. Moin Afaque, Joint Director General of Foreign Trade, DGFT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
o Mr. Somnuk Keretho, Director, Institute for Information, Technology Innovation, Kasetsart University, Thailand.
o Mr. Afaq Hussain, Director, Bureau of Research on Industry and Economic Fundamentals (BRIEF)
o Mr Prashant Seth, Joint Deputy Director General, Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO).

5:00 pm – 5:30 pm – Concluding remarks by Mr. Amit Misra, CEO, MSL Group.

DAY 2: NOVEMBER 4, 2025
Venue: Juniper Hall, IHC
Time: 10:00 am – 05:30 pm

10:00 am – 10:30 am – Registration, Tea/Coffee

10:30 am – 11:30 am – Plenary Session: Collaborating for Growth: Enabling Women Empowerment

Policymakers and industry leaders from across the APAC region will explore frameworks to empower women via digital trade, domestic platforms and cross-border partnerships.

Chair:
o Dr Nisha Taneja, Professor and Lead Trade, Investment and External Relations (TIER), ICRIER

Special Address:
o Ms. K. Ratna Prabha, Founder President, UBUNTU CONSORTIUM, India.

Presentations:
o Dr Arpita Mukherjee, Professor, ICRIER of the ‘India Country Paper “Women in 4IR Technology”’
o Dr. Saon Ray, Visiting Professor, ICRIER on ‘Bridging Digital Gender Gaps: The Impact of Digitalization and Time Use on Women’s Labour Force Participation in Asia-Pacific’

Discussant:
o Dr. Sriparna Basu, Dean (Academics), FORE School of Management.
o Dr Bornali Bhandari, Professor and Co-Director, Centre for Gender and Macroeconomy, National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER)
o Ms. Anshita Mehrotra, Founder, Fix My Curls.

11:30 am – 11:45 am – Tea Break

11:45 am – 12:45 pm – Panel 1: Integrating MSMEs in Cross-border Trade and Industrial Infrastructure

This session will discuss the initiatives taken by policymakers and companies to facilitate the integration of MSMEs in global value chains. It focuses on both hard and soft infrastructure for facilitating MSME’s trade.

Moderator/Chair:
o Mr. Thiam Hee Ng, Director – Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination Division, South Asia Department, Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Panelists:
o Ms. Bui Thi Thanh Hang, Chief of Office, Viet Nam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Viet Nam – Virtually.
o Dr Pravakar Sahoo, Programme Director – Economic & Finance 1, Niti Aayog, Government of India
o Smt. Anuja Bapat, Deputy Director General, Development Commissioner, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. Government of India.
o Mr. Nath Parameshwaran, Senior Director and Board Member, PayPal India Entities.
o Mr. Anil Bhardwaj, Secretary General, Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME).
o Ms. Chand T. Mazumdar, Founder, Okidokes – virtually.

12:45 pm – 02:00 pm – Networking Lunch

02:00 pm – 02:45 pm – Panel 2: APAC – The Largest and Fastest Growing Market for Express Delivery Services: Learning from Each Other’s Best Practices

As e-commerce booms across APAC, the express delivery sector has emerged as the “business class” of cross-border logistics—delivering fast, reliable, tech-enabled door-to-door services that are crucial for powering trade, supporting MSMEs, enabling high-growth and time-sensitive industries. With APAC now leading the world in e-commerce adoption and innovation, this session brings together policymakers, industry leaders, and regional stakeholders to celebrate success stories and foster collaboration. Participants will share proven strategies for simplifying documentation, enabling seamless last-mile connectivity, investing in smart infrastructure, and harmonizing regulatory frameworks. By highlighting best practices from across the region—including digital customs clearance, green channel innovations, and integrated logistics networks—this discussion aims to create a roadmap for an even more agile, inclusive, and future-ready express delivery ecosystem in APAC.

Moderator/Chair:
o Dr Pritam Banerjee, Head, Centre for WTO studies.

Presentation:
o Mr. Deepankar Khare, Director – Public Policy, MAIT on “Efficient Logistics Supporting IT, Telecom & Electronics Hardware Sector”

Panelists:
o Mr. Manish Mani Tiwari, Commissioner (Customs & Export Promotion), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
o Mr. Sung Heun (Rama) Ha, Director, Korea Trade Network (KTNET)
o Dr Yann Duval, Chief, Trade Policy and Facilitation Section, UNESCAP.
o Mr. Dinkar Singh, Director – Public Affairs, Indian Subcontinent, UPS.
o Mr. Manish Patel, Vice President – Operations, DHL.

02:45 pm – 03:45 pm – Panel 3: Building Consumer Trust Through Secure Cross-Border Payment Systems

Focusing on both policy and technological measures, this session will delve into strategies for bolstering consumer confidence in digital payment ecosystems. Stakeholders will share initiatives to fortify cybersecurity, protect financial data, and develop robust regulatory standards that encourage transparency and streamline cross-border transactions. Best practices—from risk-based authentication to secure payment gateways—will be examined to help MSMEs confidently operate in global e-commerce markets.

Moderator/Chair:
o Mr. Sung Heun (Rama) Ha, Director, Korea Trade Network (KTNET)

Panelists:
o Mr. Tahseen Ahmad Khan, Ex-Vice Chair, UN-Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UNCEFACT) and Member, Advisory Committee, UNNExT.
o Mr. Somnuk Keretho, Director, Institute for Information, Technology Innovation, Kasetsart University, Thailand.
o Ms. Hirva Mamtora, MD & CEO, India Exim Finserve.
o Mr. Abhinava Kumar Singh, Vice President – Global Tech Transition Leader, Genpact.
o Ms. Nirupama Soundararajan, Co-founder & CEO, Policy Consensus Centre.
o Mr. Deepak Maheshwari, Senior Policy Advisor, Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP).

03:45 pm – 04:00 pm – Tea Break

04:00 pm – 05:00 pm – Panel 4: Regulations of Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Impact on Digital Trade

The emergence of 4th IR Technologies like AI has disrupted the productions and global supply chains in the APAC region, in this context this session will discuss how AI is likely to impact supply chains, jobs and digital trade in

this region and what member countries can do to harness the benefits that technology offers and address the concerns through collaborations and best practices.

Moderator/Chair:
o Mr. Srinidhi Kalvapudi, Head of India Global Selling, Amazon India.

Panelists:
o Dr Amit Kumar, Assistant Professor, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), New Delhi.
o Mr. Kapil Mahajan, Group Chief Information & Technology Officer, Allcargo Logistics.
o Ms. Jameela Sahiba, Associate Director – AI and Public Affairs, The Dialogue – Virtually.
o Mr. Roshan Menon, Principal Associate (AI and Emerging Technologies), Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co.
o Dr Mansi Kedia, Digital Development Specialist, World Bank.
o Ms. Tamanna Islam Urmi, AI Researcher, Network Science Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.

5:00 pm – 5:15 pm – Concluding Remarks by Mr. Srinidhi Kalvapudi, Head of India Global Selling, Amazon India.

5:15 pm – 5:30 pm – Vote of thanks by Mr. Nikhil Saini, Director – Public Policy, Export Industry Council of India.