Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), unlike traditional e- commerce platforms that operate in silos, creates an open ecosystem where sellers can reach customers across multiple platforms without being restricted by platform- specific terms and conditions. ONDC plays a big part in ensuring that small businesses, local traders and MSMEs are not digitally excluded in the emerging e-commerce environments by providing a fair, transparent, and non- discriminatory discovery within emerging e-commerce environments through open protocols that make all sellers equally visible across network regardless of size, scale or digital sophistication. Seller-side apps make their full catalogues discoverable to all buyer-side apps, while buyer-side apps discloses key parameters used for sorting or listing search results, enabling sellers to understand and improve their ranking. Common open specifications adopted by all network participants further enhance transparency and prevent opaque or biased listing practices.

Further, Ministry of MSME’s Trade Enablement and Marketing (TEAM) scheme promote adoption of digital commerce by SMEs, small sellers including Self Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organisation (FPOs), artisans, rural entrepreneurs and local retailers through the ONDC. Under this scheme, these small sellers are provided support in digital literacy, awareness, cataloguing, and onboarding, with a focus on inclusivity by targeting 50% of beneficiaries as women-led SMEs.

As of 9 December 2025, there are a total of 1.16 lakh+ retail sellers live on the ONDC from over 630+ cities and towns across India. Metropolitan business district-wise classifications of sellers is however not maintained.

The ONDC network lowers entry barriers for small and micro businesses by enabling interoperability across multiple buyer and seller-side applications, thereby increasing competition in digital commerce. The presence of multiple platforms offering the same products and services promotes greater price transparency for consumers. Additionally, as sellers of different sizes and from diverse geographies become accessible on the network, consumers benefit from a wider selection of products and services, enabling more informed and competitive choices.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Shri Jitin Prasada, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

ONDC creates an open, interoperable marketplace ensuring non-discriminatory discoverability and support for small sellers. ONDC establishes an open, non-discriminatory digital marketplace through interoperable buyer- and seller-side applications that ensure uniform discoverability, require disclosure of key sorting parameters, and adopt common open specifications to prevent biased listing practices and promote price transparency and wider consumer choice. The MSME TEAM scheme leverages ONDC to provide digital literacy, cataloguing and onboarding support to SMEs, SHGs, FPOs, artisans and local retailers with a 50% women-led beneficiary target, and ONDC reports 1.16 lakh+ retail sellers live across 630+ cities and towns as of 9 December 2025.