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India's e-commerce compliance framework has undergone a material shift with the notification of G.S.R. 128(E) dated 13 February 2026, published in the Gazette of India. By this notification, the Central Government has amended the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 by inserting a new Rule 6(10A). The amendment introduces a platform-level obligation for e-commerce entities selling imported products, requiring that such products be made discoverable through searchable and sortable filters specifying the Country of Origin. The amendment comes into force on 1 July 2026, providing a defined compliance runway for affected entities. This change marks a clear regulatory evolution from static disclosure to digitally functional transparency.
1. Statutory Amendment
1.1. A new sub-rule 6(10A) has been inserted after Rule 6(10), which provides as follows:
“Every e-commerce entity selling imported products shall provide the product listings of such imported products in a searchable and sortable filter specifying the country of origin.”
1.2. Unlike earlier disclosure-based requirements under Rule 6, this provision expressly mandates functional visibility of country-of-origin information within the search and listing architecture of digital platforms
2. Effective Date
The amendment comes into force on 1 July 2026. This deferred commencement creates a limited but critical compliance window for Backend data restructuring, Front-end UI/UX modifications, and Seller onboarding framework updates. Given the scale of changes required, early action will be essential.
3. What Has Changed & Who is impacted?
3.1. From Disclosure to Discoverability
Prior to this amendment, country of origin disclosures was typically satisfied through:
- Product description fields,
- Specification tabs, or
- Static label information.
The new Rule 6(10A) moves beyond this model.
3.2. E-commerce entities must now ensure that:
- Country of Origin is structured as a data attribute, and
- Consumers can actively search and sort products based on origin.
3.3. In simple terms, mere disclosure is no longer sufficient. The information must be:
- Algorithmically discoverable, and
- User-controlled.
3.4. The compliance net cast by Rule 6(10A) is deliberately wide. Impacted stakeholders include E-commerce marketplaces, Inventory-based online retailers, Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands importing finished goods, Importers listing products on digital platforms, Cross-border sellers operating in the Indian market, Platform operators responsible for search and listing architecture. Importantly, this is not merely a seller-side obligation. The rule squarely places responsibility on e-commerce entities, making this a platform design and systems compliance requirement.
4. Key Compliance Requirements
4.1. Under Rule 6(10A), e-commerce entities selling imported products must enable:
- A Searchable Filter: Consumers must be able to search listings by country of origin (e.g., filtering products originating from a specific country).
- A Sortable Filter: Consumers must be able to sort products based on country of origin as a parameter.
4.2. Both functionalities must apply specifically to imported products, requiring platforms to clearly distinguish between:
- Imported SKUs, and
- Domestically manufactured SKUs.
5. Strategic Regulatory Significance
5.1. Transparency as Infrastructure
- The amendment embeds transparency directly into the technical infrastructure of e-commerce platforms. Country of Origin can no longer be relegated to fine print; it must be a core, query able attribute within the platform's search ecosystem.
5.2. Consumer Empowerment
By enabling consumers to filter and sort products based on origin, the rule strengthens:
- Informed purchasing decisions, and
- Consumer autonomy in navigating imported versus domestic goods.
This aligns with broader consumer-protection objectives, particularly in the context of informed choice and market transparency.
5.3. Compliance Traceability
The amendment enables regulators to assess compliance by:
- Auditing platform functionality, rather than
- Merely inspecting product labels or individual listings.
Non-compliance will therefore be visible at the systems level, significantly lowering enforcement friction.
6. Enforcement Exposure
Failure to comply with Rule 6(10A) may attract may attract regulatory scrutiny under the Legal Metrology framework. Given the nature of the obligation, enforcement is likely to focus on:
- Platform-level functionality gaps, and
- Systemic non-availability of mandated filters.
As the rule is objectively verifiable through platform testing, enforcement risk is expected to be high-visibility and low-defence.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
