Open Network for Digital Commerce to help small retailers serve customers with modern ways of delivery: Piyush Goyal

The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) will ensure that small retailers get an equal opportunity to engage with big firms, protect their businesses and serve customers with modern ways of delivery system, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday.

India is leading the world in building digital public infrastructure, he said at an entrepreneurship summit.

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As UPI is to the digital payment domain, ONDC is to e-commerce in India. It will enable buyers and sellers to be digitally visible and transact through an open network, no matter what platform/application they use.

The ONDC team "is working to democratise e-commerce so that millions of small mom-and-pop stores all over the country and small retailers do not get extinguished like we have seen in the

West, but get an equal opportunity to engage using digital technologies to protect businesses and grow their businesses and serve their customs with modern ways of delivery," he said.

ONDC received its certificate of incorporation as a private sector non-profit company on December 31, 2021.

A number of established companies have integrated with the platform and the government has already set up a nine-member advisory council, including Nandan Nilekani from Infosys and

National Health Authority CEO R S Sharma, on steps required to design and accelerate the adoption of ONDC.

The minister suggested action agendas for entrepreneurs to promote innovation and boost the startup ecosystem in the country.

He called for scaling up diversity in startups as the country needs entrepreneurs in sectors such as agriculture and textiles.