The Great Leveller
Business Today India|September 15, 2024
ONDC was launched with the aim to democratise the e-commerce market and level the playing field for small businesses. Despite challenges, this initiative promises to bring down the entry barrier in the space
PALAK AGARWAL
The Great Leveller

DIGITAL COMMERCE, RIGHT now, is a space dominated by a few major players. Hence, to revolutionise e-commerce, the Government of India, in December 2021, launched the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). Designed to promote open networks using open-source methodology, open specifications, and open network protocols, ONDC is independent of any specific platform. The goal was to democratise digital commerce, enabling small retailers and businesses to participate in online marketplaces.

“Every product or service that can be catalogued should be available on this network,” T. Koshy, MD and CEO of ONDC, tells Business Today. He emphasises the transformative potential of the platform. “In the current world, when you join a platform, you are visible only to users of that platform. If you want to be visible to customers on multiple platforms, you have to manually make yourself visible on each one,” he adds. Calling it a ground-breaking concept, Koshy says that what is significant with ONDC is that once one makes themselves visible on the network, any buyer using any buyer application can see them.

ONDC aims to replicate the success of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). With ONDC, India will be the first country to integrate micro to small businesses into the digital economy at a low cost, reducing the entry barrier.

And in a short period of time, ONDC has onboarded prominent players like Ola, Meesho, Khojle. com, Domino’s, and Namma Yatri, among others, either through the seller or the buyer side.

The platform has now forayed into the fintech space, facilitating fully digital and paperless loans in six minutes. The new offering is integrated with nine buyer applications (also known as lending service providers) and three lenders, marking a significant milestone in its mission to enhance accessibility and efficiency in credit services.

This story is from the September 15, 2024 edition of Business Today India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the September 15, 2024 edition of Business Today India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BUSINESS TODAY INDIAView All
"Focus on the challenge of each customer"
Business Today India

"Focus on the challenge of each customer"

SHASHANK KUMAR MD & CO-FOUNDER I RAZORPAY Razorpay is India's first full-stack financial solutions company

time-read
1 min  |
December 08, 2024
PEDAL ON THE FUTURE
Business Today India

PEDAL ON THE FUTURE

THE MG WINDSOR EV, WITH ITS FUTURISTIC AND MINIMALIST DESIGN, COMBINES THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS-COMFORT AND TECHNOLOGY

time-read
1 min  |
December 08, 2024
BREATHE EASY
Business Today India

BREATHE EASY

Whether you're battling allergies, looking to remove pollutants, or simply want to breathe easier, the right air purifier can make a difference

time-read
2 mins  |
December 08, 2024
The Taste of India in a Glass
Business Today India

The Taste of India in a Glass

FROM ROYAL LIQUEURS TO DISTILLED MAHUA, INDIAN HERITAGE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE HAVING THEIR DAY IN THE SUN

time-read
4 mins  |
December 08, 2024
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP
Business Today India

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP

IN 2025, INVESTORS WILL NEED TO FACTOR IN VOLATILITY ACROSS ASSET CLASSES

time-read
5 mins  |
December 08, 2024
MISSING ADVISORS
Business Today India

MISSING ADVISORS

INDIA HAS JUST ONE INVESTMENT ADVISOR FOR NEARLY EVERY 200,000 INVESTORS. AT A TIME WHEN RETAIL PARTICIPATION IN THE STOCK MARKETS IS BOOMING, THIS ASSUMES SIGNIFICANCE

time-read
7 mins  |
December 08, 2024
TURNING A CORNER
Business Today India

TURNING A CORNER

SHARED ELECTRIC MOBILITY START-UP YULU'S SHIFT TO SERVICING THE QUICK COMMERCE SECTOR IS HELPING IT GROW FAST. IT IS NOW FOCUSSING ON IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY FEATURES AS IT TURNS EBITDA POSITIVE

time-read
5 mins  |
December 08, 2024
REALITY CHECK
Business Today India

REALITY CHECK

INDIAN STOCK MARKETS PLUNGED BEGINNING OCTOBER FOR A HOST OF REASONS, INCLUDING A FALL IN FII OWNERSHIP. HOW DEEP WILL THE CORRECTION BE?

time-read
6 mins  |
December 08, 2024
TRUMP'S TRADE TANGO
Business Today India

TRUMP'S TRADE TANGO

The return of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the US has put the global economy on edge. India, too, is unlikely to remain unaffected. How will policymakers meet this latest challenge?

time-read
9 mins  |
December 08, 2024
"The essence of the Trump administration will be transactional”
Business Today India

"The essence of the Trump administration will be transactional”

Global investor, analyst, and best-selling author Ruchir Sharma decodes why Donald Trump won the elections, what India should do, the risks, and more

time-read
10 mins  |
December 08, 2024