The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep-seated structural vulnerabilities within global value chains (GVCs), severely disrupting cross-border production networks, logistics systems, and trade flows. These disruptions have intensified the imperative to reconfigure GVCs to enhance resilience, adaptability, and long-term sustainability. This theoretical study examines the role of digital trade including e-commerce platforms, blockchain technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), and data-driven logistics in transforming GVCs within a post-pandemic, data-intensive global economy. Drawing upon interdisciplinary insights from international trade theory, supply chain management, and digital governance literature, the paper develops a conceptual framework that links digital trade enablers with adaptive supply chain strategies. The study underscores the critical role of digital infrastructure, institutional capacity, and regulatory harmonisation in building resilient and inclusive trade ecosystems. The proposed framework incorporates key constructs such as predictive analytics, smart contracts, real time supply chain visibility, and paperless customs procedures to demonstrate how digital technologies enhance transparency, operational agility, and risk mitigation across GVCs. Furthermore, the paper analyses emerging policy instruments including the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), ongoing WTO e-commerce negotiations, and ESG aligned trade metrics under global reporting frameworks such as GRI and ISSB that increasingly shape the governance of digital trade. Special emphasis is placed on the integration of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and public sector enterprises in developing economies, with particular reference to India’s digital public infrastructure. The study also critically examines persistent challenges, including the digital divide, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and fragmented data governance regimes, highlighting the necessity for coordinated international policy responses. The paper concludes by outlining future research avenues for empirical testing, sector-specific investigations, and comparative regional analysis, thereby contributing to the theoretical discourse on digital trade and post-pandemic economic resilience.