Inside the Hustle: How South Asia’s Gig Workers Keep the Apps Running

Picture this: groceries at your doorstep in five minutes, food within fifteen, and fashion delivered in under twenty-four hours. For millions of consumers across South Asia, this is daily life today. Every app is designed to pamper the user, and the gig economy is the engine driving it all.

“Eight years ago, it wasn’t the norm — people still had to go to a restaurant to eat or pick up their own takeaway, or head to a store to buy things. But today, tech platforms have privileged consumers in a way that all they need to do is tap on their phones for a service, food, or a ride,” said Vandana Vasudevan, author of OTP Please!

Vasudevan was speaking at the Bangalore International Centre (BIC) in conversation with Mekin Maheshwari — serial entrepreneur, early Flipkart (often called India’s Amazon) leader, and Founder & CEO of Udhyam Learning Foundation. The two explored the human stories behind South Asia’s booming app economy — stories of small sellers navigating algorithms and restless customers tapping ‘Order Now’. From India’s hyperlocal delivery boys to Pakistan’s ride-hailing drivers, Nepal’s app startups to Bangladesh’s e-marketplace sellers, Vasudevan’s book uncovers the invisible ecosystem that powers digital ease — and the quiet costs it extracts.

Across South Asia, this digital convenience is powered by an ecosystem of homegrown apps that have become household names. In India, platforms like Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, Dunzo, and Rapido dominate everything from food delivery to groceries and bike rides. In Pakistan, Bykea, Careem, and Foodpanda have reshaped urban mobility and dining habits. Bangladesh’s digital scene is led by Pathao, Shohoz, and Foodpanda, while Nepal has seen the rise of Tootle, Foodmandu, and Bhojdeals. In Sri Lanka, platforms such as PickMe and Uber Eats are redefining convenience for a growing middle class. Together, these apps reflect how a region once known for its bazaars and corner stores has moved its commerce — and culture — online.

Average value of each order has been increasing year by year in the region. Image source - screenshot BIC's YouTube recording of the talk.

The term gig originated in 1920s music circles, where a “gig” meant performing for a night — a temporary job. Today, it covers everything from driving an Uber to freelance design work. What makes this economy unique in South Asia is its fusion with a fast-expanding tech sector and the constant churn of new apps.

“South Asia is a traditional society, so it was fascinating to research how it’s adapting to technology and how that’s changing people’s lives. There’s tremendous dynamism in Pakistan and Bangladesh as well. In Nepal, there’s a new food app every two months,” Vasudevan, who has a PhD in urban development from the University of Grenoble, France, observed.

According to research by Barkat-e-Khuda, PhD, former Professor and Chairman at the University of Dhaka, India and Bangladesh together have some of the largest gig workforces — India with around 24 million and Bangladesh with over 600,000. By 2029–30, India’s gig workforce is projected to reach 23.5 million. In Nepal, the gig economy has been gaining traction since 2016, especially in software and tech sectors. In Pakistan, digital platforms and a young, tech-savvy population are fuelling rapid growth, while in Sri Lanka, gig work is increasingly being used to address unemployment and earn foreign exchange.

What made the Vasudevan–Maheshwari discussion particularly engaging was its multi-layered lens — not just viewing the gig economy from one side, but through the eyes of customers, platforms, and workers alike.

(From left to right) Mekin Maheshwari in conversation with Vandana Vasudevan at BIC. Image source - screenshot from BIC's YouTube

“In my research, I found stories of anxious customers, but also workers facing anxiety after unpleasant experiences,” Vasudevan said. That’s why her book is organised around nine emotions that reflect what all the actors in this economy go through.

The conversation moved to how gig platforms have also created opportunities — offering employment during Covid, restoring livelihoods, and enhancing customer satisfaction. Maheshwari recalled that this focus on delighting customers drew him to Flipkart. “The founders told me they wanted to build a company that delights customers. It was a wonderful vision,” he said — a far cry from the 1990s when consumers waited months for their favourite products.

But that pursuit of customer satisfaction has spiralled. “Now, the middle-class customer not only holds privilege but also immense power over the workers,” Vasudevan remarked. She cited examples where customers could rate a delivery person poorly for not meeting unrealistic expectations.

“There have been instances where dogs attacked these workers. This two-way love affair between customers and tech platforms also means occupational hazards for the workers,” she said, noting that a low rating can sometimes cost workers their jobs. The obsession with speed, she added, has put lives at risk.

Another side-effect is rising purchasing addiction. Vasudevan shared the story of a 28-year-old lawyer who began ordering cigarettes through a grocery app, Blinkit. “Earlier, he would stop by a store for a single cigarette. Now, he orders packs because he can’t order just one. His smoking has increased,” she said to a concerned audience.

There’s also what she calls the “little treats culture.” “A young Gen Z in Colombo told me she orders food or small items throughout the day — and even a hazelnut coffee in the evening. When I asked if she could make it at home, she said, ‘I could, but this is my little treat for finishing work.’ I said, ‘Wow,’” Vasudevan recalled, prompting laughter in the room.

“This is a thing — a TikTok culture — where youngsters buy snacks or cosmetics as small rewards. It’s instant gratification,” she added.

Her research, which began during Covid, stemmed from curiosity. “When everything was shut, I saw a group of delivery boys at our society gate. I started talking to them, and one thing led to another. I became part of the Gig Survey,” she said. Vasudevan went on to conduct both quantitative and qualitative research, travelling across South Asia. The project took two years to complete.

So, what’s next for South Asia’s gig economy and its workers?

“The demographic dividend in South Asia is rich — we have capable, educated people. Platforms must invest in upskilling these workers and creating clear career paths,” Vasudevan said. “These should be interim jobs, not final jobs.”

The conversation also touched upon the decline of local community stores and personal connections. Many small retailers find platform commissions too high and are losing business to bigger players.

As the discussion wrapped up, one thing was clear — the gig economy in South Asia is both a story of aspiration and anxiety. It represents innovation, youth dynamism, and entrepreneurial energy, but also exposes the fragile lives behind every doorstep delivery and every five-star rating.

Her words underscored a growing tension: while technology has democratised opportunity, it has also deepened divides between those who create the algorithms and those who run their errands. The challenge now is not to slow down the app revolution, but to make it fairer — one that values dignity as much as delivery speed.

Because as Vasudevan aptly put it, “Earlier, we had landlords who owned land. Now, we have tech companies, and they own data. It’s just power in a different form.”
And the question, perhaps, is who gets to own the future.

-Asia Media Centre