ONDC, Amazon’s SmartCommerce Services to Empower India’s Small Retailers, Buyers

This partnership marks Amazon’s first collaboration with the ONDC.

Written by Radhika Parashar, Edited by Richa Sharma | Updated: 24 February 2023 18:24 IST

ONDC, Amazon’s SmartCommerce Services to Empower India’s Small Retailers, Buyers

Photo Credit: Reuters

Amazon aims to digitise 10 million MSMEs by the year of 2025

Highlights

SmartCommerce is an Amazon Web Services (AWS)-powered SaaS
ONDC is a private non-profit company overseen by Indian government
India aims to digitise retailers to boost its Make in India initiative

Amazon has announced a partnership with India's Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) on Friday, February 24. This teaming-up is aimed at providing small retailers and day-to-day buyers with Amazon's SmartCommerce services. ONDC is a private non-profit company overseen by the government of India. Meanwhile, the SmartCommerce is an Amazon Web Services (AWS)-powered suite of software as a service (SaaS) product that enables MSMEs in India to build and scale their business.

This partnership marks Amazon's first collaboration with the ONDC. The e-commerce giant will also provide its logistics service to small and medium business owners who aim to expand the sale of their products around the world.

“Amazon has a definite roadmap to being a part of the ONDC network and is taking its first step in coming in as the logistics partner in the ONDC network,” said T Koshy, MD & CEO of ONDC, in a prepared statement.

The partnership aims to make the engagement of Indian merchants with the e-commerce space smooth and seamless.

India, under its Make in India initiative, has been bullish on promoting homegrown brands around the world to compete with the likes of international labels across sectors.

Earlier this month, Narayan Rane, India's minister of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), announced that the ministry would work alongside Amazon to enhance production in the country and take quality goods to the people at an affordable price.

“Amazon's vision and commitment for India is closely aligned with ONDC's objectives of digitally enabling small businesses and providing convenience and choice to customers across the country. We remain committed to be being a catalyst for India's digitisation efforts throughout the economy,” said Manish Tiwary, Country Manager, India Consumer Business, Amazon India.

The e-commerce platform aims to digitise 10 million MSMEs by the year of 2025.

Back in January 2020, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos visited New Delhi to flag off the ‘Amazon Smbhav' conclave.

At the time, Bezos had announced an investment of $1 billion (roughly Rs. 8,300 crore) focussed on providing digital onboarding for Indian merchants.

After facing headwinds in India last year, Xiaomi is all set to take on the competition in 2023. What are the company's plans for its wide product portfolio and its Make in India committment in the country? We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Further reading: ONDC, Open Network for Digital Commerce, Amazon, SmartCommerce

Radhika Parashar

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Radhika Parashar is a senior correspondent for Gadgets 360. She has been reporting on tech and telecom for the last three years now and will be focussing on writing about all things crypto. Besides this, she is a major sitcom nerd and often replies in Chandler Bing and Michael Scott references. For tips or queries you could reach out to her at RadhikaP@ndtv.com. More