Secretary , Consumer Affairs Department
{ secy-ca@gov.in }
Joint secratary , Consumer Affairs Department
{ jsca.ca@gov.in }
Dear Sir/Madam,
Subject: Reconsidering “Country of Origin” Filter: A Legacy Concept in a Borderless Manufacturing World
I write this with reference to a recent Times of India article dated 2 August 2025, titled:
👉 Centre suggests ‘Country of Origin’ filter on e-commerce sites
While the intent to empower Indian consumers is laudable, I respectfully submit
that the concept of “Country of Origin” is now outdated, and practically
infeasible in today’s highly globalized manufacturing ecosystem.
Five years ago, I had reflected on this exact dilemma in a blog post written from
the point of view of a modern appliance:
👉 Autobiography of an Appliance (2020)
🧠A Glimpse into the Argument:
Today’s products are no longer “Made in” a single country. Instead, they are:
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Designed in one country,
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Assembled in another,
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With components sourced from half a dozen others,
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Branded elsewhere, and
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Marketed globally via cloud infrastructure and AI-driven tools.
In such a landscape, expecting e-commerce platforms to authentically,
uniformly, and verifiably assign a "Country of Origin" tag to every product
is not just challenging — it may even be misleading.
📌 Humble Suggestion:
Rather than enforcing a rigid filter, consider evolving toward a “Component
Provenance Matrix”, which transparently displays a product's design,
manufacturing, and final assembly trail. This aligns better with:
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Global trade realities,
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Digital product passports (as now being considered in the EU),
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And the discerning intelligence of modern Indian consumers.
I submit this as part of a long-standing commitment to consumer clarity and
technological foresight. I hope it stimulates internal discussion and review of the
policy's long-term relevance.
Warm regards,
Hemen Parekh
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