Uber invests in ONDC, bets on India’s digital public infrastructure as metro rail bookings cross 10 million

India's digital public infrastructure (DPI) ecosystem gets a major boost as ride-hailing platform Uber announced a strategic investment in the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), marking one of the earliest such investments by a global technology company in the government-backed network.

The investment deepens Uber's engagement with ONDC beyond its existing integration and signals the company's intention to expand its presence across mobility, public transit and logistics services built on interoperable digital networks. While financial details of the investment were not disclosed, the move underscores the growing importance of ONDC in India's rapidly evolving digital commerce and mobility landscape.

Uber expands ONDC partnership beyond ride-hailing

As part of the collaboration, Uber said it will work closely with ONDC to widen access to multimodal transportation, including deeper public transit integrations, while strengthening logistics offerings for businesses and independent earners operating on the network.

The company has already leveraged ONDC's infrastructure to integrate public transport services into its platform. According to Uber, metro ticketing is currently live across five Indian cities, with more than 10 million metro rides booked through the Uber app via the ONDC network so far.

Prabhjeet Singh, President, Uber India and South Asia, said the investment reflects the company's confidence in India's DPI-led innovation model. "India has been at the forefront of building Digital Public Infrastructure that is inclusive, interoperable, and transformative at scale. Our ongoing partnership with ONDC and now this investment puts us at the heart of that innovation journey," he said.

A vote of confidence in India's open digital networks

The announcement comes at a time when India is increasingly positioning ONDC as a digital public utility designed to democratise online commerce and reduce dependence on closed platform ecosystems. Since its launch, ONDC has expanded across multiple categories, including retail, food delivery, mobility and logistics.

Adil Zainulbhai, Independent Director at ONDC, said Uber's investment validates the network's broader objective of creating a level playing field for businesses of all sizes. He added that the partnership highlights the potential of India's digital infrastructure to drive innovation, efficiency and inclusive growth.

Mobility and logistics emerge as next growth frontier

For Uber, the investment aligns with a broader strategy of evolving from a ride-hailing platform into a comprehensive mobility and services ecosystem. By leveraging ONDC's open architecture, the company aims to improve access to public transport, enhance last-mile connectivity and expand logistics solutions for merchants and delivery partners.

The move also reflects growing industry interest in India's open-network approach, which is increasingly being viewed as a scalable model for delivering mobility, commerce and logistics services to millions of users across the country.