A nationwide strike called by gig workers on New Year’s Eve put the spotlight on India’s growing- gig economy and emerging challenges. Friction between platform companies on one hand and gig workers and platform workers on the other, if left unresolved, runs the risk of slowing down the growth in the gig economy. NITI Aayog projected that the number of gig and platform workers in the country will increase from over one crore in 2024-25 to 2.35 crore in 2029-30. A flash strike by gig and platform workers on December 25, causing disruption in deliveries in some states during the Christmas Day celebrations preceding Wednesday’s strike call, is reflective of the persistent friction. The Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers sought urgent intervention by the central government on their key demands: rollback of 10-minute delivery models, an end to arbitrary and algorithmic-based penalties, a fair and transparent wage, social security including health and accident insurance and a pension, and regulation of platform companies under labour laws. The central government seeks to dispel the apprehension of gig workers over their social security and insists that the Code on Social Security, 2020, which came into force on November 21, provides for the framing of suitable social security measures for gig and platform workers on matters relating to life and disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity benefits, old age protection, etc. The government informed the parliament during the recent winter session that the budget announcement for financial year 2025-26 included several key measures for the welfare of gig workers, such as registration on the e-Shram portal, issuance of identity cards, and extension of healthcare benefits under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). The fact that only 5.14 lakh gig workers have been registered so far on the e-Shram portal means that more than 95% of them have remained outside the ambit of the social security welfare measures under the Code on Social Security, 2020. This explains the anxiety and apprehension among gig workers across the country over social security, apart from their grievances against unrealistic targets and “unsafe quick delivery models”. As the gig economy does not run on traditional employer-employee relations, there is little scope for direct negotiation by gig and platform workers on wages, workplace conditions, social security protection such as insurance cover, pensions, etc. with platform companies such as food and grocery aggregators and transport service aggregators. Giving wide publicity to the e-Shram mobile app launched by the government in February for unorganised workers, including gig and platform workers, is crucial to enhance the accessibility and convenience of the e-Shram portal, as the mobile app allows unorganised workers to update their information and access various services directly from their smartphones. Three nationwide special registration drives held during the months of April, May and August-September to maximise registration of platform workers on the e-Shram portal were laudable initiatives, but to ensure that no gig worker is left unregistered, it is essential that special registration drives are conducted more frequently. The platform companies can play a crucial role in generating awareness among gig workers about the registration on the e-Shram portal, as they can effectively communicate to them. Such initiatives by platform companies being carried out in a sustained manner are essential to strengthen the formalisation of welfare measures for gig and platform workers in the informal gig economy. Rapid change in urban consumer behaviour driven by the spread of digital technology facilitating doorstep delivery of on-demand goods and services will continue to fuel growth in the gig economy. For platform companies too, freedom from fixed labour costs and overhead costs increases commercial viability, while the application of algorithms enables them to allot tasks to gig workers fast, and workers in the gig economy too enjoy the freedom of freelancing for multiple platform companies to reduce dependence on a single employer. The gig workers’ allegation about the lack of transparency in algorithm-based task allotment and task-based earnings calls for the government to step in and impress upon the platform companies to take the initiative to bring more transparency into the system to strengthen workers’ trust in it. Low and unpredictable earnings due to reliance on artificial intelligence-driven algorithms, coupled with worries over social security protection, will only push gig workers to mobilise and resort to more strikes to press for fixed wages and guaranteed social security measures. The platform companies can least afford frequent service disruption. Addressing the safety concerns of workers is of paramount importance to the stable and sustainable growth of the gig economy, as delivery time plays a crucial role in the competitive on-demand service ecosystem. Fixing a reasonable time limit for service delivery and incentives is essential for integrating safety protocol into the gig economy. Gig and platform workers are crucial stakeholders of the gig economy, and platform companies turning a blind eye to their problems will only threaten the long-term sustainability of this emerging sector.