New Delhi, June 12 (IANS): Logistics technology provider Pidge on Wednesday said that it joined the government-run Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to accelerate e-commerce growth in hyperlocal and same-city deliveries across India.

Using Pidge's extensive network of over 200 regional and national partners, this initiative aims to increase e-commerce penetration beyond the current 5 per cent level in the country.

"ONDC Network aims to ensure inclusivity for sellers, especially SMEs, among other objectives that are well-aligned with our offerings at Pidge," Ratnesh Verma, Founder and CEO at Pidge, said in a statement.

In alignment with ONDC Network's goal of market democratisation and a decentralised process, Pidge's intelligent logistics solutions optimise delivery routes and track orders in real-time through shared rider pools, the company said.

"With Pidge onboarding onto the Open Network, the small and micro businesses across the country can leverage Pidge's advanced logistics capabilities and extensive partner network to expand their reach into newer markets," said T. Koshy, MD & CEO, ONDC.

In addition, the company mentioned that sellers will now have an opportunity to utilise Pidge's platform to expand their e-commerce reach through the ONDC Network.

By facilitating end-to-end on-network transactions, this approach will promote a sustainable business model as well as empower small businesses by enhancing reliability, accessibility, and ease of use across the country’s diverse value chain.