How Google's accelerator program can improve ONDC
India's government-backed Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has been growing in popularity. The open e-commerce network has attracted the interest of various companies. That includes Google. The tech giant has decided to launch an accelerator program for ONDC to help digital sellers. Let's see how Google's participation in ONDC could shape the future of India's digital commerce.
Why does this story matter?
India's e-commerce space is expected to be worth $163 billion by 2026. It is dominated by major players like Amazon, Reliance, and Walmart-owned Flipkart. The word on the street is that the Indian government launched ONDC to challenge established e-commerce players and disrupt the sector. It hasn't reached there yet, but the participation of global giants indicates ONDC's potential.
ONDC participants will have access to Google's core infrastructure APIs
Google has been in talks with the Indian government about joining ONDC since last year. The accelerator program is a culmination of those discussions. As part of the program, ONDC's participants will have access to Google's core infrastructure APIs. The company will also provide retail search and generative AI to developers and $25,000 in cloud credits to start-ups.
Google is integrating Maps with ONDC
Google also aims to make delivery of ONDC orders easy. To achieve this, the company is integrating Google Maps with ONDC. The company is adding address descriptors, an India-first feature, to improve the serviceability of orders. The feature, which is available in 25 cities in India, will make it easy to find and communicate addresses with area names and landmarks.
How can Google's participation improve ONDC?
Everyone realizes ONDC's potential to disrupt e-commerce. However, the network is far from perfect. Its partners have flagged multiple snags in the network. The involvement of a company like Google would help optimize ONDC's infrastructure. Google can also provide tools to help improve buyer and seller experience. The search giant's participation might also attract more developers to the platform.
ONDC aims to achieve 100,000 daily orders soon
After the initial rush, ONDC's growth has slowed down due to a decline in discounts. However, it still managed to hit a fresh high of 30,000 orders earlier this month. ONDC's goal is 100,000 daily orders in the next few months. For that, categories other than food & beverages and grocery have to grow. Google's participation could attract more buyers and sellers to ONDC.
