The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has appointed Vibhor Jain as its new Managing Director and CEO from April 7, 2026. This comes at an important time as the government-backed network is trying to strengthen its operations and grow faster after a period of internal changes.
ONDC was launched by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade to make e-commerce more open and accessible in India. It aims to help small businesses, kirana stores, and local sellers go online and compete with big platforms by using an open digital network.
Leadership Change After a Tough Phase
Jain’s appointment comes after a series of leadership exits. Former CEO Thampy Koshy stepped down in April 2025, followed by other senior leaders. During this time, ONDC was managed by an internal executive team. Before becoming the full-time CEO, Vibhor Jain was already handling the role as acting head and helped manage the transition. The company has also hired new leaders in key roles to bring more stability and focus to its operations.
Focus on Growth Despite Challenges
ONDC has grown quickly since its launch and is now active in many cities with a large number of sellers on the platform. Its model allows different apps for buying, selling, and delivery to work together, making the system more flexible.However, the platform is still facing some challenges. These include a drop in orders after reducing discounts, issues in user experience, and difficulty in building a strong revenue model. Some big players have also reduced their involvement.
Going forward, Vibhor Jain is expected to improve the user experience and make the platform more efficient. ONDC will likely focus more on small businesses, rural markets, and new areas like B2B commerce to build long-term growth.