BENGALURU: Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said that Rapido has emerged as the company’s toughest competitor in India, overtaking Ola in category position. “Ola used to be our main competition. I’d say now the tougher competition in India is Rapido. They got into two-wheelers and three-wheelers really aggressively with a zero-commission subscription model. Very scrappy as well. Ola is now kind of a distant third,” he told Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath on his podcast released Sunday.
Khosrowshahi said Uber considers India one of its most important markets. The country is now the company’s third-largest globally in terms of trips, with over 1.4 million drivers across autos, two-wheelers, three-wheelers and cars. “India is a must win for Uber, not just tomorrow, but ten years from now,” he said.
On Rapido’s approach, Khosrowshahi said its subscription model allowed drivers to retain higher earnings, giving it early traction. But he also noted that Rapido was “not making money” and would be tested on whether it can grow profitably. “We’ve got a lot of respect for them and we intend to compete really hard,” he said.
The Uber chief also reflected on the broader quick commerce and mobility space, advising entrepreneurs not to overthink market size. “Businesses that succeed are always adapting. If there's a product market fit in a narrow segment, build there and expand step by step. Total addressable markets are for fundraising decks, not for building businesses,” he said.
Khosrowshahi, who previously led Expedia, said Uber sees its role as a “local operating system” for everyday life, spanning rides, food, groceries and retail delivery. In India, Uber Eats was sold to Zomato in 2020 in a deal that gave Uber a stake later divested. “We’re not an investment company. My competency is to build operating businesses and grow them over time,” he said, when asked about exiting Zomato.
He also touched on autonomous vehicles, describing them as inevitable but still years away from scale in India. “Drivers of autonomous cars are safer, but much more expensive, even in developed markets. For autonomous to come into India, it's going to take a long time. I think we’re looking at a 20-year horizon,” he said.
On leadership, Khosrowshahi said his natural style is collaborative but he has learned to switch to “wartime decision-making” when required. Recalling pandemic layoffs at Uber, he said, “Sometimes collaboration doesn’t help. You have to say here’s what we’re going to do. Because my team sees me listening most of the time, they give me credit when I say we’re going this way.”
Khosrowshahi added that despite Uber’s size, he tries to maintain the mindset of a disruptor. “I see our shortcomings much more than our accomplishments. Within these walls, we want to act like a startup. Outside, we have to recognize we are a big company, and that comes with responsibility,” he said.
Khosrowshahi said Uber considers India one of its most important markets. The country is now the company’s third-largest globally in terms of trips, with over 1.4 million drivers across autos, two-wheelers, three-wheelers and cars. “India is a must win for Uber, not just tomorrow, but ten years from now,” he said.
On Rapido’s approach, Khosrowshahi said its subscription model allowed drivers to retain higher earnings, giving it early traction. But he also noted that Rapido was “not making money” and would be tested on whether it can grow profitably. “We’ve got a lot of respect for them and we intend to compete really hard,” he said.
The Uber chief also reflected on the broader quick commerce and mobility space, advising entrepreneurs not to overthink market size. “Businesses that succeed are always adapting. If there's a product market fit in a narrow segment, build there and expand step by step. Total addressable markets are for fundraising decks, not for building businesses,” he said.
Khosrowshahi, who previously led Expedia, said Uber sees its role as a “local operating system” for everyday life, spanning rides, food, groceries and retail delivery. In India, Uber Eats was sold to Zomato in 2020 in a deal that gave Uber a stake later divested. “We’re not an investment company. My competency is to build operating businesses and grow them over time,” he said, when asked about exiting Zomato.
He also touched on autonomous vehicles, describing them as inevitable but still years away from scale in India. “Drivers of autonomous cars are safer, but much more expensive, even in developed markets. For autonomous to come into India, it's going to take a long time. I think we’re looking at a 20-year horizon,” he said.
On leadership, Khosrowshahi said his natural style is collaborative but he has learned to switch to “wartime decision-making” when required. Recalling pandemic layoffs at Uber, he said, “Sometimes collaboration doesn’t help. You have to say here’s what we’re going to do. Because my team sees me listening most of the time, they give me credit when I say we’re going this way.”
Khosrowshahi added that despite Uber’s size, he tries to maintain the mindset of a disruptor. “I see our shortcomings much more than our accomplishments. Within these walls, we want to act like a startup. Outside, we have to recognize we are a big company, and that comes with responsibility,” he said.
You may also like
Ruben Amorim slammed over 'staggering' Man Utd decision - 'I don't get it'
Donald Trump sparks social media meltdown: 'I look extremely good in shorts'
Tories demand crackdown on people playing loud music on public transport
Lesser-known 'masterpiece' on Amazon Prime is 'mix of war film and gangster thriller'
2.2 million sign petition for Indian-origin trucker Harjinder Singh: Support grows for leniency; 45-year sentence looms
