India’s cooperative sector is preparing to challenge ride-hailing giants Ola and Uber with the launch of a new taxi service under the brand ‘Bharat’ by the end of 2025, backed by a Rs 300 crore authorised capital. The initiative, fully funded by leading cooperatives, has already enrolled 200 drivers across four states, according to news agency PTI.The new venture, Multi-State Sahakari Taxi Cooperative Ltd, was registered on June 6 and brings together eight major cooperatives, including the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO), and Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF).According to PTI, NCDC deputy managing director Rohit Gupta said, “The key objective is to ensure better returns to drivers and provide quality, safe and affordable services to passengers.”The cooperative model will operate without any government stake. Founding members include Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), and National Cooperative Exports Ltd (NCEL).The platform has already onboarded 50 drivers each from Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Expansion efforts are ongoing, with the cooperative reaching out to other cooperative bodies to widen its driver base.The ride-hailing service will function through a single app nationwide. A tender has been issued to finalise a technology partner for developing the app, which is expected to be ready by December. “We will finalise the technology partner in a few days,” Gupta said, as quoted by PTI.To drive national-level marketing and strategic planning, the cooperative has engaged a technology consultant and the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.The Bharat taxi service will adopt a cooperative pricing model aimed at affordability for customers while improving driver incomes. Membership drives are underway to strengthen the platform’s footprint across the country.Last month, cooperation minister Amit Shah had confirmed that a cooperative taxi service would be operational by the end of 2025, while unveiling a comprehensive cooperative policy for the sector.The initiative marks a bold step by India’s cooperative movement to leverage its collective power in the highly competitive ride-hailing market, traditionally dominated by private players like Ola and Uber.
