Ban Gig Work and You Don’t Solve Inequality, Says Eternal CEO Deepinder Goyal

Eternal founder and chief executive officer Deepinder Goyal has strongly defended India’s gig economy, arguing that banning or excessively regulating platform-based work will not address inequality and could instead eliminate millions of livelihoods.

In a series of posts on X, Goyal said the current debate around gig work is not merely about wages or working hours, but about society’s growing discomfort with visible inequality. According to him, dismantling the gig economy in the name of reform risks pushing labour back into invisibility rather than improving worker welfare.

His comments come amid heightened scrutiny of India’s gig sector, following strike calls by delivery partners and criticism of ultra-fast delivery models. Worker groups have raised concerns around income stability, safety, and working conditions, while platforms have been accused of prioritising speed and consumer convenience over labour welfare.

Goyal argued that historically, the labour of the poor remained hidden from the wealthy, allowing consumption without moral confrontation. The gig economy, he said, has disrupted that dynamic by placing delivery workers directly at consumers’ doorsteps.

This visibility has changed the equation.

Consumers now see delivery partners navigating heat, rain, traffic, and long working hours to fulfil orders. Goyal suggested that this direct exposure has made inequality personal, triggering guilt, discomfort, and outrage. He believes much of the backlash against gig platforms stems from this moral unease rather than a purely economic assessment of the work itself.

Addressing claims that strikes had disrupted operations, Goyal said platform services continued at record levels on New Year’s Eve. According to him, over 4.5 lakh delivery partners completed more than 75 lakh orders for around 63 lakh customers across platforms such as Zomato and Blinkit, marking an all-time operational high.

He stated that no extraordinary incentives were offered beyond standard New Year’s Eve compensation structures and credited local law enforcement for maintaining order during protests. Goyal also thanked delivery partners who chose to work, alleging that some faced intimidation during strike calls.

“If a system were fundamentally exploitative, it would not consistently attract and retain such large numbers of people who voluntarily choose to work within it,” he said, cautioning against narratives driven by what he described as vested interests.

Goyal warned that banning gig work or imposing excessive regulatory burdens would not automatically convert these roles into formal, secure employment. Instead, he argued, such measures would either destroy these income opportunities or push them back into the informal economy, where protections are weaker and accountability is minimal.

Over-regulation, he said, would raise operating costs, reduce consumer demand, and shrink earning opportunities for workers. The end result would be a return to an earlier model where labour once again becomes invisible, restoring consumer comfort without solving systemic inequality.

Responding to criticism around earnings, Goyal said delivery partners typically earn between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000 per month. He clarified that tips are additional and fully passed on to workers without any deductions, noting that India is not a strong tipping economy and that tips form only a small share of overall income.

As debates around minimum wages, social security benefits, and safety standards continue, Goyal framed the issue as a broader societal choice. According to him, visibility should be used to improve systems and working conditions, not to dismantle a model that provides scale, flexibility, and income to millions.

“Ban gig work and you don’t solve inequality. You remove livelihoods,” he said, adding that the real question lies in how society responds once it is forced to confront inequality directly.