The OECD has introduced the Index of Digital Trade Integration and Openness (INDIGO), a comprehensive measure covering 193 economies from 2000 onwards. INDIGO tracks both trade integration (formal agreements, treaties, and commitments) and policy openness (domestic rules, digital government, data governance), normalised between 0 and 1. Globally, the index shows the economy is only 8.5% toward full digital trade integration, with most progress driven by WTO instruments like the ITA and e-commerce moratorium, while regional trade agreements contribute just 10%. A distinctive feature of INDIGO is its ability to run “what-if” simulations, projecting how a country’s score would shift if it adopted new digital trade provisions.
For India, INDIGO provides a data-driven tool to benchmark digital trade readiness. While India has advanced digital infrastructure and rising IT-enabled exports, its limited commitments on cross-border data flows, digital services, and e-commerce provisions keep its integration score relatively modest. The index highlights where deeper commitments or policy reforms could enhance India’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: Which digital trade reforms-such as binding data flow provisions, stronger e-commerce rules, or AI governance standards-should India prioritise to raise its INDIGO score and unlock new opportunities for digital services exports?
Follow the full news here: OECD INDIGO Methodology (PDF)
