Uber and WhatsApp announced a partnership today in India, allowing people to book an Uber ride via Uber’s official WhatsApp chatbot. The integration is a global-first for Uber and it will make booking an Uber ride as easy as sending a WhatsApp message. Built on WhatsApp Business Platform, the partnership will expand access to Uber’s mobility services in one of the company’s largest international markets. It is being rolled out on a pilot basis in the northern city of Lucknow first, and will be expanded to other Indian cities soon.

Talking about the partnership, Nandini Maheshwari, Sr. Director, Business Development, Uber APAC said, “We want to make it as easy as possible for all Indians to take an Uber trip, and to do that we need to meet them on platforms they are comfortable with. Our partnership with WhatsApp does just that, giving riders a new way to get a ride through a simple, familiar and trusted channel. We are thrilled at this global-first integration for Uber, and look forward to rolling it out across India.

Welcoming this partnership, Abhijit Bose, Head of WhatsApp India said, “The WhatsApp Business Platform has been an important lever for businesses that want to build a direct connect with their consumers. The Uber experience on WhatsApp is simple, familiar, and relatable for users and has the potential to accelerate adoption of Uber with a new category of riders in India. We are excited about the potential of this partnership and look forward to creating more such customised solutions for products and services across sectors in India.