Government to track e-commerce, social media adoption among informal enterprises starting 2026

Survey to track e-commerce usage among informal firms

For the first time, the government is preparing to systematically measure digital adoption among India’s unincorporated enterprises—tracking everything from e-commerce activity and social-media use to UPI payments and digital bookkeeping. The new framework will debut in the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE), scheduled to begin in January 2026.

A draft schedule released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) outlines a structured attempt to capture the technological and transactional behaviour of informal enterprises, which constitute the bulk of India’s non-agricultural economic activity. This marks a shift from earlier surveys that focused primarily on employment, fixed assets and operational metrics, with only limited questions on computer or internet use.

According to the draft, enterprises will be asked whether they sell goods or provide services through e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho or sector-specific aggregators. A new block records whether firms maintain a website or social-media page and how they use such platforms—for marketing, customer engagement or lead generation.

The survey also introduces an expanded section on digital payments, documenting the use of UPI, PoS devices and other electronic modes. Enumerators will note whether firms receive online orders, maintain digital accounts or rely on app-based marketplaces. The government hopes this data will help map how informal enterprises are integrating with the formal digital economy.

The new ASUSE framework deepens measurement on several structural indicators as well. Enterprises will report ownership type, GST registration status, whether operations are seasonal or perennial, sources of working capital and detailed input–output breakdowns.

Moneycontrol had earlier reported a sharp rise in digital engagement among informal firms: during the July–September 2025 quarter, two in five enterprises used online tools for business operations, up from 34 percent at the start of the year. Beginning 2025, MoSPI also started releasing quarterly data on informal enterprises, providing more timely insight into the sector.