ONDC Promotes Open and Inclusive Digital Commerce Ecosystem

22 Dec 2025 CW Team

The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is enabling a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory digital marketplace by creating an open ecosystem that allows sellers to reach customers across multiple platforms. Unlike traditional e-commerce platforms that operate in closed silos, ONDC removes platform-specific restrictions and ensures equal discoverability for all sellers, irrespective of size, scale or digital sophistication. Open protocols and common network specifications enhance transparency and prevent biased or opaque listing practices, while seller-side applications make full catalogues visible across buyer-side apps. Buyer-side apps, in turn, disclose key parameters used for search ranking and listings, enabling sellers to improve visibility through informed participation. Recently, the Ministry of MSME’s Trade Enablement and Marketing (TEAM) scheme has accelerated adoption of digital commerce by supporting SMEs, Self Help Groups, Farmer Producer Organisations, artisans, rural entrepreneurs and local retailers through ONDC. The scheme focuses on digital literacy, awareness, cataloguing and onboarding, with 50 per cent of beneficiaries targeted as women-led enterprises. As of 9 December 2025, more than 1,16,000 retail sellers from over 630 cities and towns are live on the ONDC network. By lowering entry barriers and enabling interoperability across multiple applications, ONDC is increasing competition, improving price transparency and offering consumers wider choice across products and services.

Infrastructure Transport

06 Feb 2026

Second Mountain Tunnel Breakthrough in Palghar Advances High Speed Rail

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail (MAHSR) project reached a milestone with the breakthrough of a mountain tunnel in Palghar, Maharashtra. Mountain tunnel MT-six measures 454 metres long and 14.4 metres wide and will accommodate up and down tracks. The breakthrough follows MT-five near Saphale on second January 2026 and the MT-six excavation was completed from both ends using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. The ministry reported that the tunnelling was completed within 12 months. The New Austrian Tunnelling Method is favoured for its flexibility in complex geology and irregular tunnel s..

Modi Government Pushes Atmanirbhar Container Drive With BCSL MoU

The Union Government advanced a plan to create an integrated, domestically anchored container ecosystem with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL). The MoU was signed by key agencies including the Shipping Corporation of India and Container Corporation of India alongside major port authorities and Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, in the presence of senior ministers. The initiative aligns with the Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme announced in the Union Budget 2026–2..

Ministry Reports Gains In Mobility For Marginalised Communities

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing skill development, education and rehabilitation schemes to promote socio-economic mobility and sustainable livelihoods for marginalised and disadvantaged communities across the country. Programmes target Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Economically Weaker Sections, De-notified Tribes and Safai Karamcharis through specialised implementing corporations and empanelled training institutes. Pradhan Mantri Dakshata Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi Yojana, or PM-DAKSH, provided skill training and placement support through the Nati..