Growth and forecast of the gig economy in India: A secondary data analysis

The gig economy has grown into one of the most rapidly developing areas of the global labor market. In India, there are millions of workers who have transitioned from being employed on a long-term basis to working through digitally enabled platforms and/or on a short- term or project/contract basis.  According to NITI Aayog (2022), in 2021-22 approximately 7.7 million people were involved in the gig economy. This is expected to increase to 23.5 million by 2029-30. Reports from the Economic Times (2025) indicate the sector experienced a significant 38% growth during FY 25 which indicates both an opportunity and challenge for Indian workers and policy makers. The objective of this research is to use secondary information from Government publications, Academic journals/news agencies to investigate growth trends and forecast trends of the gig economy in India from 2020-2030.  This research attempts to identify why the gig economy is growing so rapidly and what remains concerning for gig workers with respect to job security, financial stability and social support. While there are numerous benefits to the gig economy including rapid job creation and economic development, there are also serious concerns regarding the well-being of gig workers and their ability to sustainably engage in this type of employment. Finally, based upon these results, this research recommends that policymakers, platform owners/providers and gig workers need to work together to establish a gig economy that is equitable and sustainable for all parties.