India’s rapidly expanding gig economy and quick-commerce sector are creating new employment opportunities for young people. However, concerns are growing over whether delivery jobs will dominate the employment landscape in the coming years. Zomato founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal has sparked fresh debate by suggesting that drone deliveries could become an alternative if companies struggle to find enough delivery workers in the future.
Better Jobs Needed for Young Indians
Responding to a user on social media platform X who asked whether everyone would become a delivery worker over the next 15 years, Goyal said he did not expect such a situation. He emphasised that young Indians should have access to better-quality employment opportunities rather than relying predominantly on delivery jobs.
Goyal also indicated that Zomato and its quick-commerce platform Blinkit could consider drone deliveries if sufficient human resources were unavailable to meet future delivery demands. However, neither company has formally announced a drone delivery plan.
Millions Connected to Delivery Platforms
Zomato’s parent company, Eternal, plays a significant role in India’s gig economy. According to the figures cited in the report, more than 31 lakh Indians were associated with Zomato and Blinkit as delivery partners during the 2025-26 financial year.
Goyal has also highlighted the company’s broader economic impact, including its employees, warehouse workers and their families. The company aims to expand the number of people whose livelihoods it supports in the coming years.
Drone Deliveries Still Face Challenges
Drone delivery remains limited in India, although companies have conducted pilot projects. Swiggy tested drone-based deliveries in 2021 and explored using drones to transport groceries between dark stores and designated collection points in 2022.
In the United States, companies such as DoorDash, Wing and Flytrex are advancing drone delivery services in selected locations.
However, payload capacity, adverse weather conditions, flight safety and operations in crowded urban areas remain significant challenges.
New Skills Could Shape Future Jobs
The growing use of drones, artificial intelligence and automation could transform the delivery sector. New opportunities may emerge in drone fleet management, maintenance engineering, logistics data analysis and automation.
For young Indians, developing digital, technical and logistics skills could become increasingly important as the employment landscape evolves.