Union Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation, Amit Shah, officially launched Bharat Taxi on February 5, 2026, at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. This marks a significant milestone in bolstering the cooperative sector and fostering inclusive, citizen-focused mobility solutions across India. The initiative is in line with the Government of India’s vision of “Sahkar se Samriddhi,” which emphasizes achieving prosperity through cooperation.
Background: Why Bharat Taxi Matters
Over the last decade, India’s ride-hailing industry has seen explosive growth. Yet, many platforms rely on aggregator models, leaving drivers grappling with hefty commissions, surge pricing, and minimal social security. To tackle these challenges, the Ministry of Cooperation came up with Bharat Taxi, a platform that is both driver-owned and driver-centric.
Bharat Taxi is registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act of 2002 and was officially established on June 6, 2025. It aims to provide a homegrown alternative to foreign investment-driven ride-hailing services, prioritizing fairness, transparency, and shared prosperity.
Key Features & Model
Zero-Commission Structure: Unlike private apps that charge 20–30% per ride, Bharat Taxi follows a zero-commission model. Drivers pay a flat daily fee (approximately ₹30) and retain 100% of their trip earnings.
No Surge Pricing: The platform offers transparent, fixed pricing for passengers, with fares expected to be up to 30% cheaper than competitors like Ola and Uber.
Driver Benefits: Registered “Sarathis” (drivers) receive personal accident and health insurance of ₹5 lakh each, retirement savings options, and dividends as stakeholders in the cooperative.
Vehicle Categories: Users can book two-wheelers, three-wheelers (autos), and various car categories (Economy, Sedan, XL, Priority).
Safety Initiatives: Features include an SOS button linked to police, real-time tracking, and ‘Sarathi Didi’, an initiative providing women passengers the option to be picked up by female drivers.
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
