The Government of India had recently opened registrations for digital marketing agencies under the DigiHaat/Nirmit Bharat initiative. DigiHaat is a buyer-focused app developed under Nirmit Bharat, which is part of the broader Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) ecosystem. The goal of Nirmit Bharat is simple: to make digital commerce more inclusive. By reducing dependence on large e-commerce platforms, the initiative aims to help local sellers, D2C brands, kiranas, and farmers reach buyers across India with lower costs and fewer barriers.
Why the agency registration?
To boost marketing for products on DigiHaat, the government is empanelling digital agencies across multiple specialisations:
- Performance marketing
- Social media management
- Influencer marketing
- Creative and branding campaigns
- PR, field activations, and events
Agencies that register successfully can get the opportunity to manage campaigns for this government-backed platform. The deadline for agencies to register on the platform was November 18, 2025.
The empanelment is likely to reshape competition in India’s digital marketing landscape. Large agencies may dominate Tier-1 campaigns, but smaller, regional agencies with expertise in local languages and regional markets could gain a significant advantage.
A question persists whether the government’s announcement was impactful enough to reach the agencies the government was looking for. When IMPACT reached out to a few digital agencies, there wasn’t enough response from agencies’ sides. Himanshu Arora, Co-Founder, Social Panga, shares that no such information was sent in advance about the government’s decision to open registrations under this initiative.
However, he appreciates this move and calls it a strong and positive signal. He considers it as a step toward building a strong nation-wide marketing ecosystem that can support India's MSMEs and local manufacturers in opening the doors to digital agencies.
“It will significantly boost the visibility of Indian products, speed up digital discovery, and expand market reach if implemented with transparency, collaboration, and sufficient support. For agencies like ours, it's a chance to use our experience for something bigger than specific brand mandates, supporting India's vision of a more self-reliant digital economy,” adds Arora.
Mitchelle Jansen, Senior Vice President, White Rivers Media, says that the intent of the initiative points in the right direction and if executed with consistency, DigiHaat can widen market access for smaller Indian brands, give them stronger discovery, and open fresh ground for agencies that understand diverse audiences across the country.
“The real unlock will come when communication, onboarding, and expectations move from transactional paperwork to a shared growth vision. Agencies can play a large role, but the partnership model needs more transparency from day one,” she states.
