ONDC, Meta partner to support small businesses in India

Facebook-parent Meta and Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) on Tuesday partnered to help small businesses in India build seamless conversational buyer and seller experiences on WhatsApp through Meta’s business and technical solution providers. Meanwhile, ONDC will help these business solution providers become seller apps, bringing the businesses they service onto the ONDC Network and helping them drive commerce. 

To kickstart this collaboration, the Meta Small Business Academy will digitally upskill 500,000 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) over the next two years.  

The academy, a manifestation of Meta's commitment to upskilling 10 million small businesses nationwide, offers certification programs to empower entrepreneurs and marketers with essential digital marketing skills for growth on Meta apps. 

Speaking about the collaboration, T Koshy, the Managing Director and CEO of ONDC, expressed the organisation's dedication to democratising the digital landscape and fostering MSME empowerment. The partnership, he emphasised, aims to not only enhance the digital capabilities of these businesses but also to broaden their reach and connect with a diverse customer base. 

Sandhya Devanathan, Vice President of Meta in India, highlighted Meta's role as a frontrunner in supporting India's digital transformation. Devanathan emphasised the importance of ecosystem and partnership in enabling millions of small businesses to establish and strengthen their digital presence. The collaboration aligns with the government's vision for Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Meta's commitment to skilling small businesses, contributing to the rapid digital transformation and growth in the country. 

As part of the collaboration, Meta will extend support to Sahayak, ONDC's WhatsApp chatbot, enhancing its services as the primary point of communication for both sellers and customers. 

Earlier this year, Meta launched the 'WhatsApp Se Wyapaar' program, aiming to upskill 10 million traders across India in 11 languages on the WhatsApp Business app. With over 200 million users of the WhatsApp Business app globally, and more than 60% of Indian WhatsApp users engaging with business accounts, the collaborative efforts between ONDC and Meta are poised to catalyse a transformative journey for millions of small businesses in the digital realm. 

With a remarkable contribution of around 33% to India's total GDP, the MSME sector has played a significant role in shaping the nation's economic landscape. A report by Statista published in November 2022, the sector's potential for growth is considerable, with predictions suggesting a substantial contribution of $1 trillion to India's total exports by 2028.