Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)

The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is an initiative by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce, operationalised from 2022. Unlike platform-based e-commerce models (where buyers and sellers must use the same platform), ONDC uses an open protocol architecture — the Beckn Protocol — that enables any buyer-side application to transact with any seller-side application across the network. This "network of networks" model is designed to democratise digital commerce by reducing dependence on dominant marketplace platforms and lowering entry barriers for small sellers. ONDC standardises core transaction functions: product discovery, cataloguing, order management, payment, and fulfilment.