India’s 10-minute delivery model is under pressure

India’s booming quick-commerce industry is on notice. In a New Year’s Eve flash strike, more than 200,000 riders refused to ferry food, grocery and other orders nationwide.

While gig workers’ demands for fair pay, safety and dignity can be addressed to some extent by the platforms that use their services, the union leading the protest also wants a more fundamental change: an end to 10-minute deliveries. That would be a show-stopper.