Which one of the following best describes the key objective of India's 'Open Network for Digital Commerce' (ONDC) initiative?

Correct Option: (c) To break the dominance of large e-commerce platforms by enabling interoperability across networks

The correct option is (c). The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is an initiative by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, aimed at promoting open networks for all aspects of exchange of goods and services over digital or electronic networks. Its primary objective is to break the monopoly and dominance of large e-commerce platforms by enabling open interoperability across different buyer and seller networks. Option (a) is incorrect as ONDC promotes decentralization, not government control. Option (b) is wrong because it seeks to empower small merchants rather than replace private players. Option (d) is incorrect as UPI is not mandatorily exclusive. Therefore, options (a), (b), and (d) are incorrect.