Mumbai: Even after the commerce ministry’s scrutiny, Pakistani products are openly sold in India on the e-commerce platform Amazon but slyly under a disguise. Following The Free Press Journal's reports on the issue, the ecommerce giant delisted a few products but passed the buck on the sellers, claiming that the onus lies on the sellers to comply with their guidelines and local laws.
On July 1, FPJ reported that the commerce ministry is scrutinising Amazon India and its global chief executive officer for allowing the sale of Pakistan-manufactured products on its marketplace despite a trade ban clamped by India. Based on a complaint to the external affairs minister S Jaishankar, the foreign trade division had directed the director general of foreign trade to examine the allegations and the chief commissioner of the central consumer protection authority to take action.
The complaint was filed by Nilotpal Mrinal, the vice president of BJP’s Uttar Bharatiya Morcha in Maharashtra. Mrinal, who has a cosmetics business, had purchased two Pakistan manufactured cosmetic products from the e-commerce platform, including a makeup kit and beauty cream, and shared the purchase invoices along with the complaint.
A spokesperson from Amazon India told FPJ, “Amazon.in operates as an online marketplace where independent third-party sellers list and sell their products. We require sellers to list products which comply with applicable Indian laws and Amazon policies. We remove noncompliant product listings upon directions from relevant regulatory authorities.”
An official from Amazon India told FPJ, on condition of anonymity, that the e-commerce platform supervises over 16 lakh sellers and delists the products which violate its guidelines. The executive also added that the sellers who violate the guidelines several times are also barred from selling on their platforms.
