Uber to launch B2B Logistics Service in India

NEW DELHI : Uber reportedly plans to launch a B2B logistics service in India. The company will do so “soon” in partnership with an Indian government-backed nonprofit, the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), TechCrunch reported Monday (May 19). Uber did not disclose a timeline, according to the report.

The ONDC aims to expand digital commerce in India and make it easier for small businesses to go online, according to the report. The partnership with Uber will enable businesses on the ONDC network to access on-demand logistics through Uber, first for food deliveries and then later for eCommerce, grocery, pharmacy and healthcare logistics, per the report.

Uber’s offering in India will be similar to the Uber Direct service launched in the United States in 2020, although it will be limited to businesses on the ONDC network, according to the report.

When the company began rolling out Uber Direct in select cities in April 2020, Uber said this delivery option would provide on-demand and scheduled last-mile delivery services of everything from groceries and convenience store items to over-the-counter medications and packages.

In September, the company integrated Uber Freight with Uber Direct, saying the combination would bring together one of North America’s largest logistics networks with one of the region’s largest same-day delivery courier networks.

In another collaboration in India, ONDC said in a Monday post on LinkedIn that the Uber app now enables customers to book tickets for the Delhi Metro, the country’s largest urban transit system, directly on the app, in an offering powered by the ONDC network.

“This marks a major step forward in making public transport truly interoperable and commuter-first,” ONDC said in the post. “No extra apps. No added hassle. Just open your Uber app, tap Metro Tickets, and ride.”

The ONDC was launched in India in 2022 to help create a “robust digital public infrastructure” that would help the expansion of digital commerce in the country and provide a level playing field.

In its first year, ONDC scaled up to include more than 45 network participants and 25,000 retail orders per day across more than 400 cities.