A new platform called DigiHaat, part of the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), has been launched by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to bring India’s artisans, farmers, and small producers into the digital commerce ecosystem. Unlike other apps on the ONDC network, DigiHaat is a dedicated buyer-side application connecting rural and underserved seller communities directly to online markets. It serves as ONDC’s marketplace presence and a testing ground for new features.
DigiHaat already features a variety of products such as handicrafts, agricultural goods, packaged foods, and lifestyle items, with a particular emphasis on women entrepreneurs and self-help group (SHG)-linked producers from remote areas. The platform has onboarded sellers like block-print textile makers from Jaipur, bronze artisans from Bastar, shawl producers from Kashmir, and organic farmer-producer organizations from Sikkim.
In a unique move, DigiHaat has integrated mobility services into its platform, with Namma Yatri and Bharat Taxi currently available on the app. More mobility players are expected to join in the future. To facilitate digital onboarding for small and rural sellers, a Beta AI toolkit is being developed, featuring vernacular cataloguing tools, automated product listing from images, and logistics intelligence to enhance operational efficiency.
The government aims to onboard nearly 10 crore small producers, including farmers, weavers, dairy operators, tribal enterprises, and artisans, onto the platform to increase incomes and integrate these communities into the formal financial system. The focus is on overall economic empowerment rather than just boosting online transactions. ONDC, operating under DPIIT, was established to create an open and decentralized alternative to conventional e-commerce platforms.
