Pakistani flags on Amazon, Flipkart spark govt action, CCPA issues notices

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has taken action against several e-commerce platforms in India, including Amazon India, Flipkart, Ubuy India, Etsy, The Flag Company, and The Flag Corporation, over the sale of Pakistani national flags and related items.

In a Twitter post, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi said that the ministry has ordered these platforms to immediately remove such listings, calling the sale “insensitive” and a violation of national sentiment.

"The CCPA has issued notices to @amazonIN, @Flipkart, @UbuyIndia, @Etsy, The Flag Company, and The Flag Corporation over the sale of Pakistani flags and related merchandise. Such insensitivity will not be tolerated. E-commerce platforms are hereby directed to immediately remove all such content and adhere to national laws," Joshi wrote on X.

The move follows a letter from the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Pralhad Joshi, urging a ban on the sale of Pakistani flags and related merchandise on e-commerce platforms in India.

Reports indicated that items like flags and accessories bearing Pakistan’s national symbols were being sold on these platforms.

In the letter, BC Bhartia, National President of CAIT, expressed concern over the sale of such items.

"I write to express my deep concern over a matter that strikes at the very core of our national sentiment and sovereignty. It has come to light that Pakistani flags, logo-bearing mugs, and T-shirts are being openly sold on major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart," Bhartia wrote to the ministers.

"This disturbing situation unfolds even as our valiant armed forces are actively engaged in Operation Sindoor — a mission of critical national importance against Pakistan," he added.

"Such actions by e-commerce platforms reflect a blatant disregard for the dignity of our armed forces, the sovereignty of India, and the emotions of every patriotic Indian citizen," the letter stated.

It further emphasized that this was not a simple oversight but a serious matter that could undermine national unity and threaten internal harmony and security.

The action comes at a time of heightened national sentiment following Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory military operation targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.