Swiggy and Zomato face new limits on 10-minute deliveries

The Indian government has told e-commerce firms to stop offering 10-minute deliveries after a New Year's Eve strike by about 200,000 gig workers who demanded better pay and greater algorithmic transparency.

The government last week instructed e-commerce platforms to end 10-minute delivery promises. That directive follows a New Year's Eve strike by roughly 200,000 gig workers who raised demands on pay, wage transparency and algorithmic controls. Delivery couriers have become a visible part of city life and central to fast online commerce since the pandemic. Key facts: - The government has asked e-commerce companies to stop offering 10-minute deliveries. - About 200,000 gig workers staged a New Year's Eve strike seeking minimum pay, clearer wage calculations and limits on algorithmic control. - Couriers are widely used across Indian cities and are core to apps such as Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit and Instamart. - Platforms have warned that stricter regulation could affect the fast-growing gig sector, which is reported to include about 12 million workers. Summary: This directive narrows a high-speed delivery promise and follows a large worker protest, creating a focal point for policy and labour discussions. Immediate procedural next steps were not specified in reporting. Undetermined at this time.