How does India ensure that "competition from foreign suppliers is ordinarily allowed"? Is this reflected in any legislative or non legislative text?
Reply: There is no bar on foreign suppliers from participating in tenders and local agents of foreign suppliers can also obtain registration from DGSandD.
WTO's Secretariat Report, page 106, paragraph 219
The Report notes that India does not have consolidated data on "the economic significance of government procurement". Consolidated data on procurement, including a breakdown of the value of contracts by tendering method, is a crucial element to be considered as India moves towards a more transparent and modern procurement system.
Is there any data on procurement that India could share with the WTO members? Does India have any plans in gathering and consolidating such data?
Reply: Different departments and organisations have started implementing e tendering only recently. Moreover, as public procurement is decentralised, no data is presently available. Under the National e Governance Plan, efforts are being made for e procurement and centralised information base thereof.
India became an observer to the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement in February 2010.
What are the intentions of the Indian authorities with regard to the objective of joining the GPA? What are the steps being taken towards that accession?
