Uber India created Rs 44,600 cr in value for economy in 2021: Report

Study commissioned by ride-hailing firm says its services help riders, drivers and communities save money and time

Uber generated Rs 44,600 crore in value for the Indian economy in 2021 with its on-demand service for riders, drivers, and the wider community, said a report commissioned by the ride-hailing company on Wednesday.

The report by Public First, a public policy research agency, said Uber produced Rs 1.5 trillion in consumer surplus in 2021: an amount equivalent to 0.8 per cent of India’s gross domestic product (GDP). 

As many as 96 per cent of riders said they use Uber because it is convenient, according to Public First’s report. Uber saves riders over 16.8 crore hours a year. The report estimated that in in 2021 driver-partners earned an additional Rs 1,700 crore in income through Uber, or an average of 49 per cent more than their next best alternative type of work.

As many as 97 per cent of female riders said safety is an important factor in their choice to use Uber, according to the report. It said 76 per cent of female riders agree that it is now easier to get home late at night. As many as 84 per cent of riders without access to a car said the availability of ridesharing services like Uber was important to their choice of not owning a vehicle. “In total, we estimate that 1 in 4 Uber trips connect with public transport,” said the report.

Indian riders regarded ridesharing as the most significant transport innovation in a decade in their experience.

“Our journey over the past nine years in India has made a significant contribution to our economy,” said Prabhjeet Singh, president, Uber India and South Asia. “During a challenging time in India in 2021 which was marked by a brutal second Covid wave, Uber unlocked an estimated Rs 446 billion in economic value for the Indian economy.”