Pioneer in short
Amit Shah to launch Bharat Taxi
Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will launch Bharat Taxi, India’s first cooperative-led ride-hailing platform, on Thursday following a successful two-month pilot, an official statement said. The service aims to expand to all states and cities within two years. Registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, and established on June 6, 2025, Bharat Taxi operates on a zero-commission, surge-free pricing model, with profits distributed directly to drivers. Backed by eight leading cooperative organisations, it positions itself as an indigenous alternative to foreign-funded platforms such as Ola, Uber and Rapido. Pilot operations began on December 2 in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat. The ministry said over three lakh drivers have joined the platform, more than one lakh users have registered, and around 10,000 rides are completed daily in the pilot regions. About `10 crore has been distributed to drivers so far. The platform prioritises driver welfare through health and accident insurance, retirement savings and support centres, including seven in Delhi. It also promotes women’s participation through the “Bike Didi” initiative.
PM to visit Malaysia from Feb 7-Feb 8
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin a two-day visit to Malaysia on Saturday to strengthen bilateral ties across trade, investment, energy and maritime security. This will be his third visit to the country and the first since India and Malaysia elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in August 2024. During the February 7-8 trip, Modi will hold talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. He will also meet members of the Indian community and interact with industry and business leaders. The 10th India-Malaysia CEO Forum will be held alongside the visit. India and Malaysia share long-standing historical, civilisational and cultural links, the MEA noted, adding that the relationship is reinforced by a 2.9-million-strong Indian diaspora in Malaysia, the third largest globally.
Gadhafi’s son shot dead
Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, son and one-time heir apparent of Libya’s former ruler Moammar Gadhafi, was killed in the town of Zintan, Libyan officials said Tuesday. He was 53. Libya’s chief prosecutor’s office said an initial investigation found that Seif al-Islam was shot dead in Zintan, about 136 km southwest of Tripoli, without giving further details. His lawyer, Khaled al-Zaidi, and Abdullah Othman Abdurrahim, who represented him in UN-brokered talks, separately confirmed the death on Facebook. A statement from Seif al-Islam’s political team said four masked men stormed his home and killed him in what it described as a “cowardly and treacherous assassination,” adding that the attackers disabled CCTV cameras.
