Microsoft joins India's ONDC WHAT HAS HAPPENED? US firm Microsoft has become the first big tech company to join the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), A government-backed project which is aimed at enabling small merchants and mom-and-pop stores in parts of the country to access processes and technologies that are typically deployed by large e commerce platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart. The software giant intends to introduce social e-commerce - group buying experience in the Indian market, Which would include a shopping app for Indian consumers along with their social circle, harnessing the ONDC network to discover the best pricing among retailers and sellers. WHAT IS OPEN NETWORK FOR DIGITAL COMMERECE ? It is an initiative aimed at promoting open networks for all aspects of exchange of goods and services over digital or electronic networks. ONDC is to be based on open-sourced methodology, using open specifications and open network protocols inde...
Threat to US Speaker Plane over Taiwan issue WHAT’S HAPPENING ? China has warned that it will respond forcefully if US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi goes ahead with a visit to Taiwan, the self-governing island democracy it claims as its own territory. Pelosi is second in line to the presidency and would be the highest ranking US politician to visit Taiwan since 1997. China has threatened unspecified “resolute and strong measures” if she goes ahead, which analysts say could cause tensions to spike in Taiwan Strait, considered a major potential Asian powder keg. ATTACK ON PELOSI’S PLANE U.S. officials say they have little fear that China would attack Nancy Pelosi’s plane if she flies to Taiwan. But the U.S. House speaker would be entering one of the world’s hottest spots, where a mishap, misstep or misunderstanding could endanger her safety. So the Pentagon is develo...