NEW DELHI –Sarathi Hi Malik: Amit Shah Launches ‘Bharat Taxi,’ India’s First Cooperative-Led Mobility Revolution In a move set to disrupt the status quo of India’s ride-hailing industry, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah officially launched Bharat Taxi on Thursday, February 5, 2026. Billed as the world’s first and largest cooperative-led mobility platform, the service marks a fundamental shift from venture-backed corporate models to a “driver-as-owner” ecosystem.
Speaking at the launch event at Vigyan Bhawan, Minister Shah emphasized that the initiative is not a government takeover of the sector but a cooperative triumph. “The government is not entering the taxi sector—the cooperative is,” Shah clarified. “For perhaps the first time in the world, the real owner is neither an individual nor a corporation, but the Sarathi who drives the taxi.”
A Nationwide Vision: From Kashmir to Kanyakumari
Following a successful two-month pilot phase that began in December 2025, Bharat Taxi is currently operational in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat. However, the Minister outlined an aggressive expansion roadmap:
- 2 Years: Expansion across all States and Union Territories.
- 3 Years: Full nationwide saturation, reaching from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Dwarka to Kamakhya.
The platform is backed by eight heavyweight cooperative institutions, including Amul, IFFCO, NABARD, and NCDC, ensuring a robust financial and operational backbone similar to the successful dairy cooperative models.
Disrupting the “Aggregator” Economics
For years, the Indian mobility market has been dominated by private giants like Uber, Ola, and Rapido. Bharat Taxi aims to challenge this dominance by “flipping the script” on how earnings are handled.
The Pricing Power Shift
| Feature | Traditional Aggregators | Bharat Taxi |
| Commission | 20% to 40% per ride | 0% (Zero Commission) |
| Surge Pricing | Dynamic & high during peak hours | Strictly Surge-Free |
| Driver Status | Gig Worker / Contractor | Co-owner & Shareholder |
| Platform Fee | Per-ride booking fees | Flat ₹30 daily access fee (₹18 for autos) |
Because the platform eliminates the middleman’s massive cut, officials estimate that passengers will see fares 20% to 30% lower than current market rates. For example, a trip from Noida to IGI Airport that might cost ₹490 on a private app is projected to be significantly more affordable on Bharat Taxi, with the driver still taking home a larger portion of the fare.
Empowering the ‘Sarathis’
The platform refers to its drivers as Sarathis (charioteers), reflecting a focus on dignity and ownership. Under the “Sarathi Hi Malik” model, drivers purchase a minimum of five shares (approx. ₹500) to become legal stakeholders in the cooperative.
The benefits extend beyond just daily earnings:
- Social Security: Integrated with the e-Shram portal, giving drivers access to government schemes.
- Health & Life Cover: Drivers receive ₹5 lakh in health insurance and ₹5 lakh in accident insurance.
- Instant Settlements: 80% of the fare goes directly to the driver’s bank account instantly, with the remaining 20% retained by the cooperative for welfare and operational costs.
Innovation in Safety: ‘Sarathi Didi’
Safety remains a cornerstone of the new platform. A standout feature is the ‘Sarathi Didi’ (and ‘Bike Didi’) initiative, a dedicated in-app window that allows female passengers to request rides exclusively from female drivers. This move aims to provide a safe, dignified travel option for women while simultaneously creating new livelihood opportunities for female operators in the gig economy. Over 150 women drivers have already joined during the pilot phase.
Additionally, Bharat Taxi has signed nine Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with key institutions:
- Delhi Police: 35 special physical assistance booths have been set up at airports and metro hubs.
- Delhi Metro (DMRC): Collaboration for seamless last-mile connectivity.
- State Bank of India: For priority vehicle financing and digital payment integration.
The Road Ahead
Since its pilot launch, Bharat Taxi has already onboarded over 3 lakh drivers and registered more than 1 lakh users, completing 10,000 rides daily in its initial zones. Around ₹10 crore has already been distributed directly to drivers during the trial phase.
As the platform moves toward a commercial rollout, it represents more than just a new app—it is a structural rethink of the unorganized sector. By aligning the incentives of the driver with the needs of the passenger, Bharat Taxi is betting that “people over percentages” is the future of Indian mobility.