You will now be able to book an Uber via WhatsApp

In a move to expand to it's base in India, ride booking giant Uber is partnering with Meta (erstwhile Facebook) to let users book their journey via the messaging platform WhatsApp.

Users can register, book rides and receive trip receipts entirely within the WhatsApp chat interface as per the new plan. To book an Uber, the customer would just need to send a message to a WhatsApp chatbot.

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Booking a ride via WhatsApp is starting in English only, but will be expanded to other Indian languages soon, Uber said in a statement.

The integration that risks making Uber’s own app unnecessary is being kickstarted in Lucknow and is expected to expand to other parts of the country rapidly. The Meta-owned messenger service WhatsApp has more than half a billion users in India, its largest single user base.

The partnership comes just days after India's richest man Mukesh Ambani also tied up with WhatsApp to boost the online order and delivery mechanism for their retail arm Jio Mart.