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Introduction:
Google Maps and ONDC Partnership: Google Maps is expanding its collaboration with India’s Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to offer a new feature. Soon, Google Maps users in India will be able to book metro tickets directly through the mapping app. This development was announced at the Google for India event, where Google detailed its partnership with ONDC.
The feature is expected to roll out in the coming months across metro cities in India and will be accessible through buyer apps integrated within the ONDC framework. Google Cloud India’s Managing Director, Bikram Singh Bedi, shared this information during the event.
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Google Maps and ONDC Partnership
Earlier this year, Google initiated a partnership with ONDC to establish an accelerator program for sellers entering the online market through ONDC. This initiative included open-sourcing ONDC infrastructure and core APIs, along with providing a $25,000 grant to eligible organizations within the network.
As part of its ongoing efforts to support digital commerce, Google also launched an India-wide hackathon for startups and developers. Moreover, Google made its generative AI tools from Google Cloud available to buyers and sellers joining the ONDC platform.
Sanjay Gupta, Country Head and Vice President at Google India, emphasized the importance of partnerships in this endeavor, stressing that collaboration with various stakeholders, including the government, financial institutions, startups, and public health infrastructure, will be crucial to making this vision a reality.
WhatsApp has recently introduced a similar feature allowing users in Bengaluru and Delhi to book metro tickets via the instant messaging app, providing an end-to-end experience, including payment support through partnerships with city metro train corporations.
At the same event, Google announced new lending services for Google Pay users and merchants and unveiled several updates related to generative AI. Additionally, Google shared its plans to commence the manufacturing of Pixel phones in India, starting with the Pixel 8 series.
