Akshat Shrivastava, founder of financial education platform Wisdom Hatch, has criticised India’s reluctance to adopt technology-driven solutions, citing Goa’s rejection of national cab aggregators like Ola and Uber as a symptom of deeper systemic issues.
In a social media post on Saturday, Shrivastava wrote: “Tech supremacy leads to Economic supremacy. This is a basic fact. Right from Mesopotamia, Romans, Persians. And, in modern history: Spanish, UK, and now the US & China. Every empire has exhibited this trait.”
He noted that while India is home to some of the best engineering talent, it continues to fall behind on tech implementation. “One could argue that: India has best engineering talent in the world. But, we are far away from Tech supremacy. We still look at BTC, Cryptos, blockchain with derision. Forget that: we still prefer taxi mafias over apps.”
Shrivastava’s comments come at a time when Goa’s government has taken a firm stance against allowing large app-based taxi platforms to operate in the state. Last month, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the new Goa Transport Aggregators Guidelines 2025 would not permit entry of national players like Ola and Uber. “Taxi operators need not be in any sort of confusion. The guidelines do not aim to open flood gates for national cab aggregators like Ola and Uber,” Sawant said.
The guidelines have triggered backlash from tourists and some residents who say the local taxi network operates like a monopoly. Goa currently has two local services – Goa Miles and Goa Taxi – but several tourists claim even these are blocked by local unions.
One tourist in April called it a “transport mafia”, citing inflated rates and coercive practices. “Here, no private taxi apps like Ola and Uber are available; you have to rely on the unions who operate on their whim,” the visitor wrote, adding that he was quoted ₹1,600 for a 10 km ride.
Shrivastava linked this resistance to a broader cultural issue. “Forget even that: with the rise of alt science, astrology, gambling. The scientific temper has never been this low in our country. Problem is not talent. The problem is: misaligned incentives. Politicians do regressive things to win. But economy rewards progressive things & futuristic planning, which eventually leads to tech supremacy,” he said.
India maintains a cautious yet open stance toward cryptocurrencies. While crypto isn’t legal tender, holding, trading, and investing in digital assets are permitted under strict frameworks: a 30% flat tax on gains. The central bank continues to warn of financial stability risks, and a formal policy or crypto bill is expected later in 2025.