This case examines the evolution of the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a government-backed initiative launched in India to create an open, interoperable digital commerce ecosystem. Designed as a counterpart to the success of digital public infrastructure such as UPI, ONDC seeks to enable buyers, sellers, logistics providers, and payment systems to interact through standardized protocols rather than closed platforms. The case follows Vibhor Jain, the newly appointed CEO in 2025, as he reviews recent performance trends and considers the network’s future direction. After an initial phase of growth—reaching millions of monthly transactions and onboarding hundreds of thousands of sellers—the network shows signs of changing momentum. Transaction volumes, incentive structures, user experiences, and stakeholder participation vary across categories and over time. The case presents data on adoption trends, financial considerations, ecosystem structure, and consumer behavior, allowing students to assess the dynamics of a multi-sided, open network.

Students are invited to examine how design choices related to governance, incentives, and interoperability shape outcomes in digital ecosystems. The case enables discussion on platform strategy, public–private coordination, and the challenges of scaling open networks. It is suitable for courses in strategy, digital business, public policy, and innovation.