India AI Impact Summit 2026

open-networks-in-the-global-south

7 min read

TRACK:Economic Growth and Social Good
SPEAKERS
  • Mr. Aniket Doegar, Haqdarshak
  • Mr. Sachin Gopalan, Indonesia Economic Forum
  • Mr. Sujith Nair, Beckn Labs
  • Mr. T Koshy, ONDC
  • Ms. Savita Muley, Haqdarshak
SESSION OVERVIEW

The session will explore how open digital networks and interoperable public infrastructure, supported by Artificial Intelligence, are transforming digital economies in the Global South. Drawing on experiences such as UPI and ONDC in India and emerging open networks. The discussion will focus on inclusive payments, commerce, and innovation for small merchants and consumers.

VIDEO RECORDING

Open Networks in the Global South

Abstract

The session examined how open digital networks—public, interoperable infrastructures such as India’s UPI, Aadhaar, and the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)—can be leveraged, with AI as an enabler, to create inclusive digital economies across the Global South. The keynote outlined the philosophy, governance choices, and early lessons from ONDC, while the subsequent panel explored concrete use‑cases (farm‑to‑market energy trading, micro‑credit, language‑model localisation), the role of AI in building trust, data‑ownership, and the policy and sustainability challenges of scaling open networks in Indonesia, India, and the broader ASEAN region.

Detailed Summary

  • Context & Vision – Emphasised Haqdarshak’s work at the “last mile” of welfare delivery, where access is a function of trust and agency, not merely service availability.
  • Definition of Open Networks – Described them as shared digital infrastructure that de‑centralises power, allowing governments, start‑ups, and community entrepreneurs to operate on equal footing.
  • Key Examples – Cited India’s UPI, Aadhaar, and ONDC as proof points of successful interoperable public digital infrastructure.
  • Trust Layer – Highlighted a partnership with the Centre for Inclusive Growth (Mastercard) to embed trust mechanisms for women entrepreneurs and MSMEs.
  • AI Diffusion – Stressed that scaling AI models to the “last mile” is as crucial as developing the models themselves.
  • Session Framing – Set out three guiding questions: (1) How can open networks scale responsibly? (2) How can AI enable inclusion without recentralising power? (3) How can Global‑South ecosystems learn from each other?

2. Keynote – T Koshy (ONDC)

2.1 Historical Analogy

  • Compared the current digital transformation to the Industrial Revolution, warning that technology can be weaponised by “conquerors” and become exclusionary.

2.2 Open Networks as a Governance Choice

  • Argued that open networks are not a technical fix but a governance decision that separates infrastructure from innovation, protocols from platforms, and power from participation.

2.3 Lessons from ONDC Implementation

LessonInsight
Markets vs. MarketsOpen networks re‑architect markets rather than replace them, lowering entry barriers for small businesses and fostering edge‑side innovation.
Three Pillars of Successful CommerceGovernance (neutral, transparent), Ecosystem Collaboration (government‑industry‑start‑ups‑civil society), Patience (long‑term change, not a “magic wand”).
Internet of TransactionsThe next internet will be a transaction‑centric, interoperable, iterative network, built on digital public infrastructure rather than siloed platforms.
Global MomentumThe model is expanding beyond India (e.g., Indonesia’s ASEAN Open Network) and is being adopted as a blue‑print for other emerging economies.

2.4 AI as Enabler, Not Gatekeeper

  • Potential Benefits – AI can improve market‑access, discovery, and matching (e.g., a farmer in Uttar Pradesh finding a buyer in West Bengal).
  • Risks – Unchecked AI could re‑centralise power and create new silos.

2.5 Success Metrics for Open Networks

  • Beyond Transaction Volume – Success should be measured by diversity of participation, resilient governance, equitable value distribution, and innovation without concentration.

3. Panel Discussion

3.1 Moderator’s Intro (Savita Muley)

  • Set the agenda: explore open‑network impact on payments, commerce, and AI‑enabled innovation for small merchants.
  • Highlighted recent Indian initiatives (Bharat Vistar, Mahavistar) and Indonesia’s rollout of an open commerce network.

3.2 Lightning Round – “What excites you most about open networks & AI?”

SpeakerKey Excitement
Sujith NairPutting people at the centre – examples of a farmer selling excess solar energy to a tailor; AI hiding complexity to enable peer‑to‑peer energy and agricultural trade.
Shamina SinghLowering barriers to market access – pilot with Mondeshi Bank enabling rural women entrepreneurs to reach new markets via open networks, leading to real‑time business growth.
Sachin GopalanUnleashing human potential – AI + open networks can reach the “lowest common denominator” (remote villages) and empower millions of small farmers.

3.3 Trust & Data Ownership (Sujith Nair)

  • Data‑as‑Trust – Open networks expose verifiable, tamper‑proof credentials (e.g., energy usage data, farmer identity) that can be monetised as collateral or for credit scoring.
  • AI Value Chain – Trustworthy data reduces AI’s computational overhead, enabling faster price discovery, logistics optimisation, and demand forecasting.

3.4 Preventing Re‑Exclusion (Shamina Singh)

  • Data‑Rights Principles – Consumers should own and benefit from their data; platforms must protect it.
  • Contextual Adaptation – Cited India’s MANAV protocol and language‑model localisation with Gharia, ensuring AI models are built by and for local populations.
  • Human‑Centred AI – Emphasised AI should enhance dignity, not become a “tech‑bro” gadget.

3.5 Indonesia’s Implementation Path (Sachin Gopalan)

  • Adaptation vs. Copy‑Paste – ONDC’s success informs Indonesia, but the model must be tailored to local frictions: 65 M MSMEs, 300 M population, archipelagic logistics.
  • Strategic Entry Points – Digitising traditional markets (≈17 500), cooperatives (≈80 000), and MSMEs to create a nation‑wide interoperable commerce layer.
  • Phase‑1 Goal – Deploy ONDC‑inspired 2.0 architecture as a movement, then scale across ASEAN.

3.6 Sustainability & Monetisation (Shamina Singh)

  • Commercially Sustainable Social Impact – Combine profit‑generation with philanthropic capital; ensure livelihoods are created while covering operating costs.
  • Micro‑finance Integration – Open platforms can issue real‑time credit based on transaction data, reducing the need for conventional credit‑assessment pipelines.

3.7 Architectural Choices for Long‑Term Interoperability (Savita Muley → Sujith Nair)

  • Decentralised, Peer‑to‑Peer Design – No central data store; value flows edge‑to‑edge, preventing concentration.
  • Protocol‑First Approach – Open standards enable plug‑and‑play AI services at the network edge.
  • Governance of Flows – Regulation focuses on transactional flows, not on central platform control, matching existing financial‑sector oversight.

3.8 Policy Recommendations (Sachin Gopalan)

  • Bottom‑of‑Pyramid Focus – Policies should target the 70 % of population under the pyramid, linking AI‑enabled open networks to employment, GDP growth, and political legitimacy.
  • Election‑Cycle Alignment – Governments can showcase tangible benefits (jobs, income) to meet campaign promises, incentivising supportive regulation.

3.9 Closing Reflections (All Panelists)

  • AI Amplifies Impact – Expected to raise livelihoods, increase income, and create local digital‑entrepreneur ecosystems.
  • Private‑Sector Role – Mastercard pledged to formalise 500 M people and small businesses by 2030, leveraging AI to accelerate the journey from inclusion → usage → security → health.
  • Youth Retention – Open networks can keep millennials & Gen‑Z in their hometowns by providing viable digital‑commerce opportunities.

3.10 Audience Q&A (Single Question)

  • Issue Raised: Large e‑commerce giants (Amazon, Flipkart) dominate; small merchants experience slower responses on open networks.
  • Panel Response (T Koshy & Sujith Nair):
    • ONDC’s aim is penetration, not to compete directly with giants; current e‑commerce penetration in India is <8 % (B2C) and <1 % (B2B).
    • Open networks lower transaction costs dramatically (example: ride‑hailing cost of ₹4 per ride, 10× cheaper than incumbents).
    • Emphasis on network over platform: consumers, providers, and logistics operators reside on different nodes; coordination takes time but is improving (orders per second growing from 7 to a target of 50).
    • The vision is a national movement that scales through collaboration, governance, and open standards, not a zero‑sum battle with existing platforms.

Key Takeaways

  • Open networks shift power from closed platforms to shared, interoperable public infrastructure, enabling anyone (government, start‑up, community entrepreneur) to participate on equal terms.
  • Trust is the critical layer: verifiable, tamper‑proof credentials (e.g., energy usage, farmer identity) empower AI to deliver real‑time market insights while safeguarding user agency.
  • AI must be diffused to the edges of the network, not centralized, to avoid re‑creating silos; it functions best as a trust‑building, complexity‑hiding tool for end users.
  • Success metrics go beyond transaction volume; they include participation diversity, resilient governance, equitable value distribution, and innovation without concentration.
  • Indonesia’s rollout illustrates the need for localisation: leveraging existing digital payment adoption (QRIS), digitising traditional markets and cooperatives, and tailoring the ONDC model to an archipelagic context.
  • Sustainable business models combine profit with social impact, using transaction data to enable micro‑credit and real‑time financing for MSMEs.
  • Policy should prioritize bottom‑of‑the‑pyramid inclusion, aligning AI‑enabled open networks with economic growth, employment creation, and political objectives.
  • Open networks can dramatically cut operational costs (e.g., ride‑hailing at ₹4 per ride), creating a cheaper, more inclusive alternative to incumbent platforms.
  • The movement aims to retain youth in rural areas by offering local digital‑entrepreneurship pathways, thus reducing urban migration pressures.
  • Long‑term interoperability hinges on a decentralised, protocol‑first architecture that governs the flows of value rather than the platform itself, ensuring AI upgrades can be integrated without rewiring the entire system.

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