The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has been honored with the prestigious Gold Award in the ‘Application of Emerging Technologies for Providing Citizen-Centric Services’ category at the National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG). The award was presented during the 27th National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG).
ONDC, a crucial component of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), was conceptualized by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It serves as a bridge between public service delivery and the technological empowerment of the retail trade sector. By leveraging innovative, technology-led interventions, ONDC has revolutionized e-commerce with its interoperable, unbundled, and decentralized architecture. This approach allows various players to offer discrete microservices, leading to positive outcomes for all stakeholders.
The platform has significantly impacted the e-commerce landscape in India, enabling over 12 million orders per month across diverse categories, from fashion to electronics and services like ride-hailing and metro ticketing. With more than 600,000 sellers active on the network, including small businesses, artisans, women entrepreneurs, farmers, and street vendors, ONDC is democratizing e-commerce, fostering competition, and enhancing consumer choice.
The ONDC team, led by CEO T. Koshy and supported by a group of technocrats and mentors from the ONDC Advisory Council, has adopted a startup mindset with a government-scale approach, allowing it to adapt swiftly to market dynamics. The platform’s ongoing expansion aims to integrate more deeply with key government platforms, improving ease of doing business, credit access, and data flow.
The National Awards for e-Governance, organized by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), are among the most competitive and prestigious digital governance recognitions in India. The awards, conferred annually at the NCeG, celebrate excellence in e-Governance initiatives and encourage innovation in digital solutions. The 27th edition of the NCeG was hosted by the Government of Maharashtra in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and DARPG.
