Archive · 3 Dec 2025
Empower India Highlights Benefits of Labour Codes for Gig Workers
Empower India, a think tank, has shared new insights about gig workers in India.
They found that 70% of gig worker households now have more money to spend, thanks to stable jobs and fair pay.
Big companies like Amazon, Delhivery, and Reliance Retail are helping by making work safer, offering training, and providing benefits.
Some people around the world have been saying that gig work is not good, but Empower India says that's not true in India.
They believe that these companies are making things better for workers.
The think tank also says that India's new labour laws are helping gig workers, and more cooperation between companies, workers, and the government can make things even better.
They think that India's way of doing things is unique and should be understood based on local needs, not what works in other countries.
70% of gig worker households in India report higher disposable incomes due to predictable earning models and consistent work opportunities.
Large retail and e-commerce companies like Amazon, Delhivery, and Reliance Retail are playing a key role in formalizing gig work and shaping labour codes that safeguard workers.
Companies are enabling this shift through transparent earnings, technology-enabled safety systems, integration with social security frameworks, and structured career mobility.
Empower India's research highlights improvements in safety, inclusion, fair pay, and social protection for gig workers, challenging generalised claims of exploitation.
Effective rollout of India's labour codes hinges on deeper collaboration between trade bodies, policymakers, and large corporations, with a cooperative approach being more beneficial than external frameworks.
- Who
- Empower India, gig workers in India, companies like Amazon, Delhivery, and Reliance Retail
- What
- The benefits of India's new Labour Codes for gig workers and the role of large platforms in enhancing worker welfare
- When
- The analysis and insights are presented amid rising global commentary on India's gig economy
- Where
- India
- Why
- To counter narratives that overlook the strides made by large companies in improving gig worker welfare and to highlight the advancements in safety, inclusion, fair pay, and social protection for gig workers
- Percentage of gig worker households with higher disposable incomes
- 70%
- Projected gig workforce in India by 2030
- 23.5 million
- Social protection system for gig workers
- e-SHRAM
- Amazon's initiative for gig worker safety
- Project Ashray
- Example of a company investing in gig worker training
- Delhivery