(Image source from: Thehansindia.com)

A new government-supported ride-hailing app is gradually gaining popularity all over India. Bharat Taxi, which is supported by the Ministry of Cooperation, has experienced a significant increase in user engagement shortly after its launch, receiving tens of thousands of new sign-ups every day. The app is now accessible on both Android and iOS devices, and it seems to be establishing itself among well-known ride-hailing services. This progress was highlighted through a social media update from the official account of the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India. In their message, the ministry announced that Bharat Taxi has surpassed four hundred thousand registered users and is gaining about 40,000 to 45,000 new users daily over the last couple of days. The app currently holds the ninth position on the Google Play Store and the thirteenth spot on Apple’s App Store, while the driver-specific application ranks at number 20 on the Play Store. The ministry mentioned that this period is a preparation for a larger launch across the country, linking Bharat Taxi to the wider “Atmanirbhar Bharat” and “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” initiatives led by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.

Amit Shah officially launched Bharat Taxi as a new cooperative-based ride-hailing option supported by the government in the busy taxi service market. The app claims to provide drivers who have been checked by the police and aims to offer a clear approach to transportation, with a major emphasis on supporting drivers. For users, the app is straightforward and user-friendly. Ordering a taxi for city travel is easy, and it also includes features like metro ticket purchases and a rental service that permits bookings for up to 12 hours. Additionally, there are noticeable safety features. The app includes emergency options such as calling law enforcement, notifying saved contacts, reaching a safety support team, and activating a siren from the app. Some of these features are similar to those found in services like Uber, which already enable users to share live trip information with their contacts. However, whether the safety measures of Bharat Taxi perform effectively in real-life situations will only be known once it is used more widely.

That being said, initial hands-on experience highlights a few imperfections. The pricing, for example, does not always seem as competitive as one might hope from a service supported by the government. In some instances, the fares appeared a bit pricier, and there were inconsistencies, like the same cost shown for both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned cabs, which suggests there might be bugs in the application. Although the login process is refreshingly easy, asking only for a mobile number, name, and email, the overall experience still seems more like a work in development than a polished product. In my situation, it took me under a minute to set up the application and create a profile. Bharat Taxi’s greatest promise is how it treats the drivers. The platform is claiming not to take any commission from drivers at the beginning, meaning the entire fare paid by riders goes straight to them. However, a report from ET Now suggested that it might introduce a fee of up to 20 percent later, but insists that even this would be sent back to drivers in some way. There are also plans to create specific pickup and drop-off points at airports, similar to what Ola and Uber do, with the chance of extending this model to other major transportation hubs.

For the moment, its success will be based on implementation — how well the demand and supply are managed, how consistently the prices remain competitive, and whether the app meets its safety and reliability promises as it grows. With user numbers increasing quickly and a full-scale national launch being hinted at, Bharat Taxi has begun on a hopeful note. The upcoming weeks should show if this cooperative-driven model can genuinely compete with established companies or if it remains a well-meaning experiment in India’s rapidly changing mobility landscape.