Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched Bharat Taxi, India’s first cooperative-led ride-hailing platform, after a successful two-month pilot operation, marking a new chapter in the country’s urban mobility sector.

The service, which began pilot operations in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat, will soon be expanded to all states and Union Territories within two years. Amit Shah said at the launch, “In three years, Bharat Taxi will be rolled out across the country, from Kashmir to Kanniyakumari and Dwarka to Kamakhya.”

Shah also highlighted the driver-centric nature of the platform, saying that profits will be shared with drivers associated with Bharat Taxi, supporting a more equitable model compared with traditional ride-hailing services.

Customers will be able to hail cars, three-wheelers and two-wheelers through the Bharat Taxi platform just like other ride-hailing services.

The ride-hailing market in India has been dominated by private players such as Uber, Ola and Rapido. Bharat Taxi, however, has been set up under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, and was established on June 6, 2025. It operates on a zero-commission and surge-free pricing model, meaning that commission charges typically seen on other platforms are not levied, and profits are directly distributed among the drivers.

This cooperative structure positions the service as an indigenous alternative to foreign investment-based ride-hailing platforms. Backed by eight top cooperative organisations, Bharat Taxi began its pilot operations on December 2 in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat.

According to the Ministry of Cooperation, Bharat Taxi has now become the world’s first and largest cooperative-based ride-hailing platform and the world’s largest driver-owned mobility platform. Since the pilot launch, more than three lakh drivers have joined the platform, and over one lakh users have registered. In the two regions where it has launched so far, over 10,000 rides are being completed daily.

To date, around ₹10 crore has been distributed directly to drivers associated with Bharat Taxi, offering them a fair share of the earnings generated through the platform.

The platform places a strong emphasis on the social security of drivers, locally referred to as ‘Sarathis’, and offers benefits such as health insurance, accident insurance, and retirement savings, along with a dedicated support system for drivers.

Support centres for drivers and customers are currently operational at seven locations in Delhi to ensure assistance and smooth operations.

This launch represents a major step toward creating a ride-hailing service that is owned and driven by the drivers themselves, aiming for a more inclusive and equitable mobility ecosystem across the country.