Uber is delving into intercity bus and metro rail ticket bookings in India. This initiative comes as part of its recent collaboration with the Open Network For Digital Commerce (ONDC), a government-backed e-commerce venture.

What Happened? Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, who was present in Bengaluru for the signing of the memorandum of understanding with ONDC, sees this partnership as a potential game-changer. It not only positions Uber to attract more users but also amps up its competition with local rivals and encourages public transport usage in India, which holds the title of the world’s most populous country.

ONDC, established in 2022, operates a unique non-profit network that aggregates services from various platforms, already including names like Paytm, Dunzo and Delhivery. However, specific details regarding the scope of Uber’s partnership with ONDC remain sparse.

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ONDC plays the enabler role: This move follows ONDC’s earlier venture into the mobility sector with Namma Yatri, aiming to offer more options to the users of ride-hailing giants like Ola and Uber, who often face issues like ride cancellations and surge pricing.

Khosrowshahi highlighted Uber’s keen interest in open-source technology like ONDC, recognizing the vast opportunities it presents. In line with this, Chennai Metro is already a part of the ONDC network, with discussions underway to include more metro operators across various cities. Moreover, redBus, the bus ticketing platform, has recently joined ONDC, followed by Ola, which is exploring food delivery services through the platform.

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