According to an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, Times Internet, the digital arm of the Times of India group, invested in American taxi service provider Uber in India in 2015. The deal was reportedly valued at around Rs 150 crore and allowed Uber to “leverage the reach of assets owned by the Times Group, across print, television as well as 150 million monthly active users on digital”, the Indian Express, which partnered the ICIJ in the investigation, reported.
Notably, the deal came shortly after Uber was banned in Delhi following the rape of a woman passenger by an Uber driver. According to the Indian Express, the editor of the Economic Times newspaper sent an email to Uber cofounder Travis Kalanick inviting him to The Economic Times Global Business Summit.
