What is ONDC? A Complete Guide to the Open Network for Digital Commerce (2026)
ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) is an open-source, government-backed protocol launched by India's Ministry of Commerce (DPIIT) to standardize digital commerce across independent platforms. Rather than functioning as a shopping app, the ONDC network operates as underlying infrastructure — similar to UPI for payments — connecting buyer apps, seller apps, and logistics providers through shared technical standards.
The network separates discovery, ordering, payment, and fulfillment into independent layers, allowing a buyer on one app (such as Paytm or Pincode) to purchase from a seller listed through a different seller app. Participants include buyer apps, seller apps, gateways, logistics providers, and technology service providers. Sellers such as Zillybuy operate across multiple categories, including groceries, fashion, and electronics, using this interoperable structure.
As of 2026, ONDC includes over 300,000 registered sellers across 1,200+ cities, supported by 100+ buyer apps. The network covers sectors including retail, food delivery, mobility, logistics, and financial services.
