Amit Shah Launches Bharat Taxi, India’s First Cooperative-Based Ride-Hailing Platform

Union Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation Amit Shah launched Bharat Taxi, India’s first cooperative-based ride-hailing platform, on 5 February 2026 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. The launch marks a major step in strengthening the cooperative sector and promoting inclusive and citizen-centric mobility solutions in India. The initiative aligns with the Government of India’s vision of Sahkar se Samriddhi, which focuses on prosperity through cooperation.

Background: Why Bharat Taxi Matters

India’s ride-hailing sector has grown rapidly over the past decade. However, most platforms operate on aggregator-based models, where drivers often face high commissions, surge-based pricing pressure, and limited social security. To address these issues, the Ministry of Cooperation conceptualised Bharat Taxi as a driver-owned and driver-centric platform.

Bharat Taxi is registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002 and was formally established on 6 June 2025. It is designed as an indigenous alternative to foreign investment-based ride-hailing platforms, with a strong focus on fairness, transparency, and shared prosperity.

Key Features and Developments

A defining feature of Bharat Taxi is its zero-commission and surge-free pricing model. Unlike conventional platforms, drivers—called Sarathis—do not pay commission on each ride. Profits are directly distributed to drivers, making them true stakeholders in the platform.

The platform places Sarathis at the centre of ownership, operations, and value creation, following the core principle of “Sarathi Hi Malik” (the driver is the owner). Drivers are also free to work on other platforms, as Bharat Taxi does not impose exclusivity clauses.

During the launch event, the top six performing Sarathis were honoured for their contribution to the cooperative mobility ecosystem. They received share certificates, reinforcing their ownership rights. Each honoured Sarathi was also provided with:

• ₹5 lakh personal accident insurance
• ₹5 lakh family health insurance

Additionally, nine Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were exchanged with key public and private stakeholders to enhance digital integration, safety, service delivery, and operational efficiency.

Focus on Social Security and Inclusion

Bharat Taxi places strong emphasis on social security and driver welfare. The platform provides:

• Health insurance
• Accident insurance
• Retirement savings support
• Dedicated driver support systems

Support centres are currently operational at seven locations in Delhi, offering emergency assistance, verified ride data, and grievance redressal.

Women empowerment is another key focus area. Under the “Bike Didi” initiative, more than 150 women drivers have already joined Bharat Taxi, helping promote gender inclusion in the mobility sector.

Impact and Current Reach

Since its inception, Bharat Taxi has grown rapidly. It has emerged as the world’s first and largest cooperative-based ride-hailing platform and the largest driver-owned mobility platform globally.

Key figures so far include:

• Around 4 lakh drivers onboarded
• Over 10 lakh registered users
• Nearly ₹10 crore directly distributed to drivers

These numbers highlight growing trust among drivers and users in the cooperative-based model.