Standardization, interoperability & authentication facilitate international trade: R S Sharma
Updated: Oct 27, 2014 03:21:05pm
New Delhi, Oct 27 (KNN) Standardization, interoperability and authentication are the three essentials for facilitation of business and trade at the international level, stated Secretary, Department of Electronics and Information Technology, R S Sharma.
He was speaking at the 24th United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) Forum that began here today.
Business and trade when carried out electronically can optimize on logistics and infrastructure. However, there is a need to adhere to set standards and streamline processes to effectively use technology. The standards must be universal in nature to make them efficient, Sharma said.
He added that the UN/CEFACT Forum has come to India at an opportune time as the nation was experiencing a significant growth in e-commerce and the good practices, standards and technical specifications formulated at CEFACT can be of great significance to the Indian market.
The Indian Government, Sharma informed, has set its eyes on making India ‘ease of doing business’ destination and has launched the ‘Digital India’ campaign to facilitate it. Many initiatives have been taken in this regard such as connecting village panchayats and small clusters of villages through National Optical Fibre Network so that benefits of schemes such as pension, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna and Aadhar, become easily reachable to every nook and corner of the country, he said.
Also speaking on the occasion, Chair, UN/CEFACT, Stuart Feder said that UN/CEFACT supports activities dedicated to improving the ability of business, trade and administrative organizations, from developed, developing and transition economies, to exchange products and relevant services effectively.
Its principal focus is on facilitating national and international transactions, through the simplification and harmonization of processes, procedures and information flows, and so contributing to the growth of global commerce, he said, adding that simplification, harmonization and standardization of trade are the focal points of UN/CEFACT.
On the other hand, Controller of Certifying Authorities, Department of Electronics and Information Technology, T A Khan said that the forum provides valuable guidance for effective utilization of IT and the three pillars for continuing smooth and easy trade are facilitation recommendations, electronic business standards and technical specifications.
Offering his comments, UN/ECE, Tom Butterly said that trade facilitation is the core element of economic integration strategy. Keeping this in mind, the UN/CEFACT develops global standards that are open, transparent and effective in consultation with all UN member countries. The member countries reflect the needs of their respective nations and such standards and processes are set which can be applicable to all. The forum also encourages direct involvement of business and industry as they are an integral part of trade facilitation. He added that trade facilitation has become a key element for economic and trade policy of many nations.
Meanwhile, President, NASSCOM, R Chandrashekhar said that India is known the world over for its IT services and accounts for almost 52 per cent of global offshoring business in IT sector. Currently the Indian IT market is at USD 118 billion, growing at a rate of 14 per cent every year. Given the huge growth opportunities in IT sector, it targets to reach USD 300 billion by 2020. He added that now India is working towards improving the ease of doing business and entering the top 50 countries in the world ranking. Also, the country is witnessing a growth in start-ups and innovation which is changing the way technology and processes are being created.
In his vote of thanks, Director General, FICCI, Arbind Prasad said that FICCI stands to benefit from the UN/CEFACT Forum as the chamber strongly supports IT-enabled work environment. The Indian Government, he said, is focused on creating a conducive business environment for which IT was an essential tool.
The five-day forum is being hosted by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India, Controller of Certifying Authorities and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
“The priorities at the forum are advancing current projects and domain activities; ongoing maintenance tasks (such as UN/EDIFACT Data Maintenance Requests); formulating and approving a series of new projects to be conducted within the framework of the approved programme of work; continuing liaison and cooperation activities with external organizations (governmental as well as industry and standards consortia) and advancing UN/CEFACT’s current and forthcoming technical framework, an official release said.”
The UN/CEFACT Forum would focus on five main Program Development Areas (PDA), namely methodology and technology, travel and tourism, agriculture, regulatory, supply chain and international trade procedure. (KNN Bureau)
He was speaking at the 24th United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) Forum that began here today.
Business and trade when carried out electronically can optimize on logistics and infrastructure. However, there is a need to adhere to set standards and streamline processes to effectively use technology. The standards must be universal in nature to make them efficient, Sharma said.
He added that the UN/CEFACT Forum has come to India at an opportune time as the nation was experiencing a significant growth in e-commerce and the good practices, standards and technical specifications formulated at CEFACT can be of great significance to the Indian market.
The Indian Government, Sharma informed, has set its eyes on making India ‘ease of doing business’ destination and has launched the ‘Digital India’ campaign to facilitate it. Many initiatives have been taken in this regard such as connecting village panchayats and small clusters of villages through National Optical Fibre Network so that benefits of schemes such as pension, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna and Aadhar, become easily reachable to every nook and corner of the country, he said.
Also speaking on the occasion, Chair, UN/CEFACT, Stuart Feder said that UN/CEFACT supports activities dedicated to improving the ability of business, trade and administrative organizations, from developed, developing and transition economies, to exchange products and relevant services effectively.
Its principal focus is on facilitating national and international transactions, through the simplification and harmonization of processes, procedures and information flows, and so contributing to the growth of global commerce, he said, adding that simplification, harmonization and standardization of trade are the focal points of UN/CEFACT.
On the other hand, Controller of Certifying Authorities, Department of Electronics and Information Technology, T A Khan said that the forum provides valuable guidance for effective utilization of IT and the three pillars for continuing smooth and easy trade are facilitation recommendations, electronic business standards and technical specifications.
Offering his comments, UN/ECE, Tom Butterly said that trade facilitation is the core element of economic integration strategy. Keeping this in mind, the UN/CEFACT develops global standards that are open, transparent and effective in consultation with all UN member countries. The member countries reflect the needs of their respective nations and such standards and processes are set which can be applicable to all. The forum also encourages direct involvement of business and industry as they are an integral part of trade facilitation. He added that trade facilitation has become a key element for economic and trade policy of many nations.
Meanwhile, President, NASSCOM, R Chandrashekhar said that India is known the world over for its IT services and accounts for almost 52 per cent of global offshoring business in IT sector. Currently the Indian IT market is at USD 118 billion, growing at a rate of 14 per cent every year. Given the huge growth opportunities in IT sector, it targets to reach USD 300 billion by 2020. He added that now India is working towards improving the ease of doing business and entering the top 50 countries in the world ranking. Also, the country is witnessing a growth in start-ups and innovation which is changing the way technology and processes are being created.
In his vote of thanks, Director General, FICCI, Arbind Prasad said that FICCI stands to benefit from the UN/CEFACT Forum as the chamber strongly supports IT-enabled work environment. The Indian Government, he said, is focused on creating a conducive business environment for which IT was an essential tool.
The five-day forum is being hosted by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India, Controller of Certifying Authorities and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
“The priorities at the forum are advancing current projects and domain activities; ongoing maintenance tasks (such as UN/EDIFACT Data Maintenance Requests); formulating and approving a series of new projects to be conducted within the framework of the approved programme of work; continuing liaison and cooperation activities with external organizations (governmental as well as industry and standards consortia) and advancing UN/CEFACT’s current and forthcoming technical framework, an official release said.”
The UN/CEFACT Forum would focus on five main Program Development Areas (PDA), namely methodology and technology, travel and tourism, agriculture, regulatory, supply chain and international trade procedure. (KNN Bureau)
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