Google is expanding its services in India, allowing users to book metro tickets directly through its popular Google Maps app. This move comes as Google deepens its collaboration with the country's open e-commerce network, Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). During the Google for India event, it was revealed that Google users will soon have the convenience of booking metro tickets through the Google Maps app, thanks to the partnership with ONDC.
Google's Collaboration with ONDC
Bikram Singh Bedi, the Managing Director of Google Cloud India, announced that this experience will be accessible through buyer apps integrated within the ONDC platform. Google's collaboration with ONDC has already been significant, including the launch of an accelerator program for sellers entering the open network. This program aimed to make ONDC infrastructure and core APIs accessible and included a $25,000 grant for eligible organisations on the network.
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In line with its commitment to supporting digital commerce in India, Google introduced an India-wide hackathon for startups and developers working on solutions for the open network. Additionally, Google Cloud's generative AI tools have become available to both buyers and sellers entering the ONDC ecosystem.
The company emphasised the importance of partnerships in this effort. It noted that collaboration with various stakeholders, including the government, the financial ecosystem, startups, and others, is essential to bring these initiatives to life.
Furthermore, WhatsApp, a Meta-owned app, also introduced a similar feature for metro ticket bookings in Bengaluru and Delhi, offering end-to-end ticket booking and payment support in partnership with city metro train corporations.
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Manufacturing of Pixel in India
Google's annual event in India brought more announcements, including new lending offerings for Google Pay users and merchants, as well as several generative AI updates. Additionally, Google revealed its plans to start manufacturing Pixel phones in India, beginning with the Pixel 8 series, further strengthening its presence in the Indian market.
