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The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) — India’s government-backed initiative to democratize e-commerce — has appointed Rohit Lohia as its new Chief Business Officer (CBO). Lohia’s appointment
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The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) — India’s government-backed initiative to democratize e-commerce — has appointed Rohit Lohia as its new Chief Business Officer (CBO).
Lohia’s appointment underscores ONDC’s push to strengthen its leadership team and accelerate efforts to create an open, inclusive, and interoperable digital commerce network for India.
Rohit Lohia brings with him over a decade of experience spanning consulting, entrepreneurship, fintech, and e-commerce.
He most recently served as Senior Vice President at Paytm (One97 Communications Limited), where he played a pivotal role in driving business strategy, product development, and risk management.
During his tenure at Paytm, he also held board positions at Paytm Money Limited and One97 Communication India Limited, contributing to the company’s financial services and payments ecosystem growth.
Lohia’s career also includes:
His background positions him as a strategic bridge between digital innovation and operational excellence, aligning with ONDC’s vision of open digital commerce enablement.
Launched in 2022, ONDC is a government-supported initiative under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). It aims to unbundle the e-commerce value chain and enable interoperability between buyers, sellers, and platforms — effectively creating a level playing field for small businesses and local retailers.
By introducing a neutral digital protocol, ONDC seeks to reduce market concentration, currently dominated by players like Amazon and Flipkart, and promote inclusive participation across sectors such as retail, mobility, logistics, and financial services.
ONDC has already partnered with banks, payment service providers, and technology startups to expand its network reach, and the appointment of Rohit Lohia comes at a time when the network is scaling operations nationally.
Vibhor Jain, Acting CEO and COO at ONDC, welcomed Lohia to the leadership team, emphasizing his role in strengthening ONDC’s commercial strategy and ecosystem partnerships.
“We are thrilled to welcome Rohit to the ONDC team. Rohit brings valuable experience in building and scaling new-age digital businesses,” said Jain.
“Coupled with his deep understanding of the e-commerce landscape, Rohit’s expertise will help drive the ecosystem towards new unlocks and sustainable value creation through the Open Network construct.”
Rohit Lohia, in his first statement as ONDC’s Chief Business Officer, expressed his enthusiasm about joining at a transformative phase for India’s digital economy.
“I’m excited to join ONDC at this juncture. My aim is to foster an ecosystem where transparent access, innovation, and operational excellence go hand in hand,” said Lohia.
“Together, we will empower small businesses and enable a win-win relationship between sellers and buyers by unlocking value across the digital commerce landscape.”
As ONDC expands across India, Lohia’s experience in fintech scaling, partnership strategy, and digital payments will be critical in:
His leadership is expected to help ONDC accelerate merchant onboarding, strengthen B2B and B2C partnerships, and build robust commercial models across sectors such as mobility, food delivery, and retail.
ONDC represents a fundamental shift in India’s digital economy architecture. By making digital commerce interoperable and platform-agnostic, the initiative seeks to:
The network’s adoption is growing rapidly, with participation from major banks (like HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, and SBI), fintech startups, and technology enablers such as Paytm, PhonePe, Mystore, and eSamudaay.
Lohia’s appointment strengthens ONDC’s ability to scale partnerships, drive ecosystem participation, and translate policy vision into sustainable business outcomes.
ONDC’s leadership expansion comes at a time when the Indian government is pushing for open digital infrastructure across multiple sectors.
Similar to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) that revolutionized digital payments, ONDC aims to democratize digital commerce by ensuring that small and medium businesses can compete with global platforms on equal terms.
By leveraging open protocols, ONDC’s network seeks to replicate the success of UPI, empowering millions of merchants to digitally transact, scale operations, and reach new customers without dependence on any single marketplace.
Under the guidance of leaders like Vibhor Jain and Rohit Lohia, ONDC is entering a strategic growth phase that focuses on:
With Lohia at the business helm, ONDC is poised to accelerate commercial adoption and strengthen the foundation of India’s open digital economy.
Rohit Lohia’s appointment as Chief Business Officer of ONDC marks a significant milestone in the organization’s journey to transform India’s e-commerce landscape.
Backed by his deep fintech experience and strategic leadership, ONDC is expected to further its mission of inclusive digital growth, creating a transparent, interoperable, and innovation-driven marketplace that benefits consumers, small businesses, and the nation’s digital ecosystem alike.
As ONDC continues to grow, its leadership moves signal a clear message: India’s open network revolution is just getting started.
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