Paytm Signs MoU with Government-Backed Bharat Taxi to Integrate Digital Payment Infrastructure

Paytm (One 97 Communications Limited), India's leading payments and financial services company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bharat Taxi, a ride-hailing initiative endorsed by the Government of India. The agreement, announced following Bharat Taxi's launch by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on February 5, 2026, is aimed at integrating Paytm's digital payments infrastructure into the Bharat Taxi platform.

Under the terms of the agreement, passengers using the Bharat Taxi app will be able to complete ride payments via the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), as well as through Paytm's QR codes, Soundbox audio-confirmation devices, and card machines. The collaboration also covers driver UPI onboarding, a proposed Bharat Taxi mini-app within the Paytm platform, and initiatives to broaden financial inclusion among drivers operating across India.

Bharat Taxi operates on a cooperative model that positions drivers, referred to as Sarathis, as central stakeholders in the platform. Unlike conventional ride-hailing services that levy commissions on earnings, the platform allows drivers to retain the full fare from each ride, with the stated goal of promoting transparency and long-term income stability for its driver community.

In a statement, a Paytm spokesperson noted that the company views the collaboration as an opportunity to contribute its payments infrastructure to a service oriented toward driver welfare, adding that the initiative is intended to make transactions more convenient and reliable for both passengers and drivers across Indian cities.

A Bharat Taxi spokesperson similarly highlighted the company's intent to strengthen its digital payments framework through the partnership, noting that the collaboration is expected to support smoother driver onboarding, access to insurance products, and other essential financial services.

The agreement aligns with broader government-led efforts to promote digital financial inclusion among gig economy workers in India. Paytm, which counts mobile payments, QR-based transactions, and its Soundbox device among its flagship innovations, has previously described its mission as bringing half a billion Indians into the mainstream financial ecosystem.

Neither company has disclosed the financial terms of the MoU or a timeline for full implementation of the described features across the Bharat Taxi platform.