Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched Bharat Taxi, India’s first cooperative-sector ride-hailing platform, at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The initiative is being positioned as a shift in India’s mobility landscape. Unlike commission-driven aggregator models, Bharat Taxi is built around cooperative ownership, with drivers placed at the centre of control, earnings and decision-making.
Speaking on the occasion, Shah said, “This launch of Sahkar Taxi is taking place in the presence of 800,000 Sarathi representatives and some cooperatives. Within three years, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Dwarka to Kamakhya, across the entire country, this Sahkar Taxi is going to become a very significant means for the welfare of our taxi Sarathis.”
Ahead of the launch, Shah had described the development as significant for taxi drivers across the country. He said the platform would allow drivers to earn more while also becoming owners of the service, giving them dignity and long-term security.
On social media platform X, Shah highlighted the idea behind the project, saying cooperation allows people to come together, invest small amounts of capital and build something impactful. He cited Bharat Taxi as an example of that approach.
सहकारिता से बहुत सारे लोग मिलकर छोटी-छोटी पूँजी लगाकर कैसे बड़ी शुरुआत कर सकते हैं, ‘भारत टैक्सी’ इसका उदाहरण है।
आज का दिन टैक्सी चालक बहनों-भाइयों के लिए बहुत ही अहम है। उनके द्वारा शुरू की गई सहकारी क्षेत्र की पहली टैक्सी सर्विस ‘भारत टैक्सी’ का नई दिल्ली में शुभारंभ होगा।…
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) February 5, 2026
What sets Bharat Taxi apart
According to the Ministry of Cooperation, Bharat Taxi has been conceptualised as a corrective to what it describes as exploitative aggregator-based systems. Drivers, called Sarathis, sit at the heart of the platform. They are not just service providers but part-owners, with a direct stake in how the service runs and earns.
Bharat Taxi is registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, and was set up on June 6, 2025. It runs without commissions or surge pricing. Profits will go straight to the drivers. There are no exclusivity clauses, so Sarathis are free to work on other platforms if they wish.
The platform also puts strong emphasis on social security. Drivers are covered through health and accident insurance, retirement savings options and access to a dedicated support system for day-to-day assistance. Support centres are currently operational at seven locations in Delhi, offering emergency assistance, verified ride data and on-ground help.
To promote women’s participation, initiatives such as “Bike Didi” have been introduced. More than 150 women drivers have joined the platform so far.
Launch programme and expansion plans
During the launch programme, Shah honoured several top-performing Sarathis for their contribution to the cooperative mobility ecosystem and distributed share certificates, reinforcing the principle of “Sarathi Hi Malik”.
Each of the honoured drivers will be getting personal accident insurance and family health coverage of Rs 5 lakh each. On the occasion, nine Memoranda of Understanding were also exchanged with public and private stakeholders to strengthen digital integration, safety standards, operational efficiency and service delivery.
It was earlier reported that more than 1,200 Sarathis from across the country will attend the launch, reflecting the platform’s growing national reach.
According to official figures, about four lakh drivers and over 10 lakh users have registered on Bharat Taxi so far. Nearly Rs 10 crore has been distributed directly to drivers.