Platform Labour and the Indian State: Understanding Platform Capitalism from the Global South

Platform capitalism is part of a global phenomenon, catalysed by technological shifts and organisational relations (Srnicek, 2017). However, it is also informed by the peculiarities of the local context, particularly when questions of labour and work practices arise (Wood et al., 2019). Scholars from the Global South have emphasised the importance of referencing already-existing forms of informalisation to better situate platform labour in Global South contexts (Surie and Huws, 2023). Yet, the heterogenisation of platform work literature does not fully address the question of the state. This paper explores the role of the Indian state as an active agent shaping platform work, using data collected from fieldwork in Kolkata and Bangalore on two geographically-tethered platforms: Ola (ride-hailing) and Zomato (food delivery). By examining the state’s role, the paper argues that platform labour reinforces the variegated nature of capitalism while appropriating local contextualities. This analysis contributes to understanding how platform work both reflects and reshapes labour in a rapidly digitalising economy.