NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched ‘Bharat Taxi’, India’s first cooperative-led ride-hailing platform, following a successful two-month pilot run.The service has been rolled out initially in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat and will be expanded to all states and Union Territories within the next two to three years. “In three years, Bharat Taxi will be rolled out across the country, from Kashmir to Kanniyakumari and Dwarka to Kamakhya,” Shah said while launching the platform.”I said that when this cooperative taxi initiative began, we did not realise how big it would become, but in the coming years it will grow across the country and benefit taxi drivers. I clarified that the government is not entering the taxi sector; this is a cooperative initiative, and the taxi drivers themselves are its owners. I emphasised that every driver associated with this cooperative taxi will have ownership, and it will work for their welfare,” the Union cooperation minister added.Shah further said that the profits earned through the service will be shared directly with drivers associated with Bharat Taxi.The platform allows users to book cars, three-wheelers and two-wheelers, entering a market currently dominated by private players such as Uber, Ola and Rapido. Registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, Bharat Taxi was established on June 6, 2025. It follows a zero-commission, surge-free pricing model, with earnings distributed directly among drivers, positioning it as an indigenous alternative to foreign-funded ride-hailing platforms.Backed by eight leading cooperative organisations, the platform began pilot operations on December 2 in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat. Shah said Bharat Taxi has emerged as the world’s first and largest cooperative-based ride-hailing platform, as well as the largest driver-owned mobility platform globally.Since the pilot launch, over 3 lakh drivers have joined the platform, more than 1 lakh users have registered, and over 10,000 rides are being completed daily in the two regions, PTI reported. Around Rs 10 crore has already been distributed directly to drivers.The platform also focuses on social security for drivers, referred to as ‘Sarathis’, offering benefits such as health insurance, accident insurance, retirement savings, and a dedicated support system.
