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Uber to leverage its platform for VAS
KOLKATA: San Francisco-based taxi aggregator, Uber, is planning to leverage its platform and provide value-added services (VAS) such as courier facilities, food-delivery options or even doorstep delivery of groceries.
In India, Kolkata has become the fastest growing market for taxi-hailing service Uber, after the US, a top official of the company said.
“India has a huge potential for value-added services and that might help the company tap the possibility of such services,” said Uber head expansion – India and the subcontinent Neeraj Singhal.
He, however, declined to confirm the time frame on bringing in such services in the country.
“Kolkata is the fastest market for us globally after America. The volume of business growth is unprecedented for us. It is the most important market for us,” he said, adding that the business in terms of the number of trips has been growing at a phenomenal rate ever since the service was launched here in last September.
“This means that the Kolkata market is growing faster than even London,” he said.
When being asked to comment on the growth from the country, he said that the India market for Uber had been growing by over 40 per cent, and Kolkata market has been doing better than the national average.
Reiterating that it is not merely a transport provider, Singhal further said that there is a need to get the “right kind” of regulatory framework under which it can operate as a technology-based company in India.
“The regulations to govern a taxi company should be very different to govern a technology company… If we can work together (with the government) to get the right sort of regulatory framework to operate as a technology company, then the scope is endless. Fundamentally, if the government restricts us to be a taxi company, then the scope is limited to provide technology,” he added.
Founded in 2009, Uber operates in over 200 cities across the globe.
Brands
Axis Bank named Official Banking Partner of DP World PGTI
Partnership supports all tournaments this season to grow professional golf in India.
MUMBAI: Axis Bank just teed up a hole-in-one partnership because when a bank sponsors golf’s biggest swing in India, even the fairways feel more financially secure. Axis Bank has been appointed Official Banking Partner of the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (DP World PGTI), strengthening its commitment to sporting excellence and community engagement while backing the growth of professional golf across the country.
Under the partnership, Axis Bank will support all DP World PGTI tournaments this season, contributing to talent development, enhanced tournament experiences and wider fan engagement. The collaboration aligns the bank’s values of precision, discipline and trust with the Tour’s focus on performance and opportunity.
Axis Bank executive director Munish Sharda said, “We are pleased to partner with DP World PGTI as its Official Banking Partner. Golf embodies precision, discipline, and a pursuit of excellence qualities that strongly reflect who we are at Axis Bank. This association also strengthens our engagement with India’s growing premium customer segments, where the sport has a deep and enduring connect.”
Professional Golf Tour of India president Kapil Dev said, “We are extremely pleased to welcome Axis Bank as a Tour Partner of the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India. Partnerships of this stature play a vital role in strengthening the foundation of the Tour, enhancing opportunities for our players, and expanding the sport’s reach across the country.”
Professional Golf Tour of India CEO Amandeep Johl added, “Axis Bank’s strong legacy of excellence, innovation, and nationwide reach aligns perfectly with DP World PGTI’s goal to elevate professional golf in India and provide greater opportunities for our players.”
In a sport where every stroke counts and every partnership drives distance, Axis Bank isn’t just backing golfers, it’s investing in the fairway to future, turning India’s greens into a stage where precision meets passion and every drive has the power to inspire.
