Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah formally launched India’s first cooperative-based taxi service ‘Bharat Taxi’ in New Delhi on 05 February 2026.
More than 1,200 “Sarathis” (driver partners) from various States participated in this historic programme, reflecting broad support for Bharat Taxi’s driver-empowerment and cooperative-ownership-based model.
During the programme, in the presence of the Union Home and Cooperation Minister, nine Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were also exchanged with leading public and private partners.
- The MoUs were signed to strengthen operational integration, digital enablement, and service quality.
1. MoU between Delhi Traffic Police and Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited
» Bharat Taxi will be permitted to digitally operate 34 prepaid taxi booths across 21 locations in Delhi, thereby enhancing passenger safety, transparency, driver income, and service quality.
- With the support of Delhi Traffic Police, Bharat Taxi has also established a Joint Command and Control Centre, which includes real-time ride monitoring, SOS alerts, and rapid emergency response mechanisms, promoting road safety, regulatory compliance, and commuter security.
2. MoU with the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), MeitY
» Under the MoU, advisory and technical support will be provided to Bharat Taxi under the Digital India framework, enabling integration with DigiLocker, UMANG, and API Setu.
- This will provide Sarathis with paperless onboarding, unified access to government services, secure interoperable operations, cashless payments, and improved operational efficiency.
3. Partnership with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)
» Under the partnership, last-mile connectivity will be provided at 10 major metro stations through bike taxis, e-autos/CNG autos, and cabs, allowing passengers to plan and pay for end-to-end journeys on a single platform, while enabling higher trip volumes and reduced idle time for drivers.
4. MoU with the Airports Authority of India (AAI)
» The MoU with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) will regulate Bharat Taxi operations at AAI airports nationwide, including pickup zones, signage permissions, and strict security and service standards, thereby enabling regulated airport operations across India.
5. Agreement with Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation / Delhi Airport Parking Services (DAPS – GMR supported)
» Under the agreement, Bharat Taxi’s white cab services have been permitted at multiple parking locations across IGI Airport terminals.
6. IFFCO Tokio as Bharat Taxi’s insurance partner
» IFFCO Tokio has been onboarded as Bharat Taxi’s insurance partner, providing personal accident cover of ₹5 lakh for drivers at nominal rates, along with advisory support for long-term driver welfare and insurance solutions.
7. MoU with Paytm
» Under the MoU with Paytm, digital payments, co-branded offerings, and fintech enablement will be enabled, including payment gateway integration and access to Paytm’s partner ecosystem. Paytm is also supporting driver group health insurance with family coverage.
8. Partnership with GMR
» The partnership with GMR will further strengthen airport mobility operations and reinforce Bharat Taxi’s regulated access and service expansion at IGI Airport terminals.
9. MoU with SBI
» Under the MoU, priority financing will be made available for commercial passenger vehicles under schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana. Sahakar Taxi will identify and support eligible driver-owners, while SBI will ensure expeditious consideration in line with its prevailing guidelines.
India’s First Cooperative-based Taxi Service ‘Bharat Taxi’
» Bharat Taxi is envisaged as a transformative intervention in the mobility sector by placing drivers—referred to as Sarathis—at the centre of ownership, governance, and value creation, thereby offering a sustainable and dignified alternative to aggregator-driven models.
- Bharat Taxi is India’s first cooperative-led ride-hailing platform.
- This is a major milestone in the Government of India’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the cooperative sector and promote inclusive, citizen-centric mobility solutions, in line with the vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’.
- Registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, Bharat Taxi was established on 6 June 2025 by 8 national level institutions working in field of cooperatives.
- The platform operates on zero-commission model, with direct distribution of profits to drivers, offering a homegrown and indigenous alternative to investment-driven aggregator platforms.
- As of now the Bharat Taxi service is functional in Delhi NCR – Delhi, Gurugram, Noida and in Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Somnath & Dwarka of Gujarat.
- Bharat Taxi prioritises social security for Sarathis through health insurance, accident insurance, retirement savings, and a dedicated driver support system.
- It operates help centres at seven key locations in Delhi, provides rapid emergency assistance and verified ride data, allows drivers the freedom to work on other platforms without exclusivity restrictions, and actively promotes women empowerment through initiatives such as “Bike Didi”, under which over 150 women drivers have already joined the platform.