India Orders Cab Aggregators to Remove Pre-Ride Tipping

The Indian government has directed cab and ridehailing aggregators to eliminate pre-ride tipping options from their platforms, labeling the practice as misleading and an unfair trade practice. Consumer Affairs Secretary and Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare announced the directive on September 16, 2026, responding to numerous complaints from the National Consumer Helpline. Passengers reported being encouraged to pay tips before rides were booked, with some believing that advance tips could improve their chances of securing a ride. "This we found to be misleading and also an unfair trade practice. We have ordered discontinuation of this kind of built-in mechanism," Khare said, stressing that tipping must remain voluntary and at the consumer's discretion after the journey. The move follows a penalty imposed by the CCPA on September 15, 2026, against Rapido operator Roppen Transportation Services. The authority fined Rapido 10 lakh rupees for misleading advertisements, unfair trade practices, and dark patterns linked to prompts that urged riders to pay more before ride confirmation.