Zoho joins ONDC network with Vikra seller app; launches IoT solutions

Chennai-headquartered global technology company Zoho has forayed into the ONDC network with Vikra, a seller app to enable frictionless commerce across India and Zoho IoT (Internet of Things) solutions, a user-friendly and scalable low-code platform enabling businesses to build and deploy custom IoT. The company announced its foray at its annual user conference -- Zoholics India.

The company also said that it saw a customer growth of 31% in 2023 in India and 26% so far in 2024. 

“We remain steadfast in our product R&D efforts, with a focus on effectively enhancing our platform through innovation and launching new products like Vikra and Zoho IoT while also integrating AI capabilities across the tech stack. We have steadily advanced on our contextual intelligence vision, applying AI technology to enhance customer experience and offer deeper insights. This commitment to continuous improvement is helping us become a preferred partner for large enterprises and government institutions across India,” said Sridhar Vembu, CEO and Co-founder, Zoho Corp.

As businesses increasingly seek value from their software solutions and larger organisations aim to reduce bloat, the company is seeing significant growth in India, which has now become the second-largest market for Zoho, Vembu added.

What is Vikra?

With e-commerce penetration in India still at just 6-7%, according to an ONDC report, smaller businesses often struggle with technological complexities and high marketplace fees. Zoho’s Vikra aims to address these challenges by enabling “frictionless commerce” across India via the ONDC network. The app helps businesses onboard easily, create product catalogues, and sell through platforms like Paytm, Ola, and Snapdeal, simplifying the entire e-commerce journey—from onboarding to payment reconciliation.

“Vikra is designed to bridge the gap between businesses and India’s vast e-commerce market, empowering even the smallest sellers,” said Sivaramakrishnan Iswaran, Global Head of Finance and Operations at Zoho. The app integrates seamlessly with Zoho’s finance and operations tools like Zoho Books and Zoho Inventory, further simplifying business operations.

T Koshy, MD & CEO of ONDC, said, “Vikra represents the kind of innovation that supports ONDC’s mission to make e-commerce accessible to all. By integrating such advanced solutions from Zoho, we are not just simplifying technology for businesses, but also opening doors to a vast, inclusive digital economy. This is a step forward in democratising e-commerce in India, where even the smallest businesses can now thrive in the digital marketplace harnessing the power of technology.” 

Zoho IoT: A customisable low-code platform with pre-built vertical solutions 

Zoho has also introduced Zoho IoT, a platform designed to help businesses manage IoT device data in real time, enabling process automation and data-driven decision-making. The platform integrates AI capabilities to predict system outages, optimise operations, and enhance customer experiences. It is compatible with third-party hardware, allowing businesses to quickly scale their operations.

The platform offers pre-built solutions for various industries, including Industrial IoT, Smart Buildings, and Energy Management. Zoho IoT is available to customers in the US, India, and the EU, with strong privacy and security measures in place.

Zoho continues to enhance its AI capabilities, ensuring that the AI models respect user privacy. The company’s top products driving growth in India include Zoho One, Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, and Zoho People, with sectors like IT, financial services, and manufacturing leading the charge.