The Modi government intends to break the digital monopolies built by the companies like Amazon (e-commerce), Google (Internet), Facebook (social media) with open networks. Recently the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade appointed Nandan Nilekani, Infosys chairman and Aadhar architect on the panel that has been awarded this task.
As per the government release, Open Network For Digital Commerce (ONDC) “aims at promoting open networks developed on open-sourced methodology, using open specifications and open network protocols, independent on any specific platform. ONDC is expected to digitise the entire value chain, standardise operations, promote inclusion of suppliers, derive efficiency in logistics and enhance value for consumers”.
So, the new open-source network will be open to all vendors and platform providers like Amazon, Flipkart would not be able to prioritize the vendors based on their interest because this network would allow these platforms to charge only one side for the services.
Moreover, the new open-source methodology would allow a large number of players to build platforms on which they can provide e-commerce services to customers. For example, United Payments Interface (UPI), which is an open-source network for payments allows any company to build payments platforms. So, in merely five years after the launch of the system, hundreds of payment service providers have emerged; almost every bank, as well as payments bank, is building its own platform based on UPI.
Similarly, Open Network for Digital Commerce would allow Facebook, Whatsapp, Jio, Airtel, or companies like Pantaloons to built their e-commerce platforms.
The DPIIT has included some of the biggest names working at the intersection of technology and policy from the government as well as private space in the panel on Open Network for Digital Commerce.
The other members of the panel include R S Sharma, National Health Authority chief executive officer, Adil Zainulbhai, Quality Council of India chairman, Anjali Bansal, Avaana Capital Founder and Chairperson, Dilip Adbe, National Payments Corp. of India CEO, and Arvind Gupta, Digital India Foundation co-founder.
The other members are Suresh Sethi, National Securities Depository head, Kumar Rajagopalan, Retailers Association of India CEO, and Praveen Khandelwal, Confederation of All India Traders secretary-general.
“The system will help physical traders get on online platforms. This will be done by creating a network based on open protocols through ONDC,” said a government official.
While the countries around the world are trying to make people and small businesses internet friendly, India has completely reversed the system and is making internet people and small businesses friendly. The countries achieved great success in this when it comes to digital payments by building an open-source payments platform (UPI), and encouraged by this, attempting the same in different sectors. Whether it succeeds in doing so in other segments is yet to be seen but if it does, the world would soon follow India in digital technology and its regulation.
Open Network for Digital Commerce sounds like an excellent idea and hope this will benefit consumers immensely and minimize market monopoly by few big sharks. India should make it as best example for rest of the world to follow this Open Network.