India continues to be one of Amazon’s fastest-growing markets globally: Samir Kumar

You’ve described India as one of Amazon’s most strategic markets globally. Could you elaborate on its importance in Amazon’s overall development?

India continues to be one of our fastest-growing marketplaces globally, and the leadership team is very pleased with both top-line and bottom-line growth after 11 years of operation here.

We’ve created close to 1 million direct and indirect jobs in India, and are on track to reach 2 million. On our direct payroll, we have over 1,20,000 employees across businesses. We’re helping transform how India buys and sells, and that’s creating economic opportunities across the country

Amazon has invested nearly $11 billion and has committed another $15 billion in investment in India by 2030. Where is this capital being deployed?

That commitment spans across all our businesses, including Amazon Web Services (AWS). A significant portion is going toward improving service in tier-2 and -3 cities, which now account for 70 per cent of our new customers. The quality and speed of service in these areas haven’t matched what we offer in metro cities, so we’re investing heavily in infrastructure to change that – building more fulfilment centres, expanding our delivery network, and developing a strong two-day delivery promise nationwide before pushing toward next-day service even in remote areas.

We’re also investing heavily in lowering costs for our 1.6 million sellers and building AI innovations that will shape the future of e-commerce in India.

How important are these smaller cities and towns to Amazon’s growth strategy in India?

They’re critical. While we cover 100 per cent of serviceable pin codes in India, what truly matters is how fast we can get there. These markets might not have full access to a wide product range yet, but the aspiration is there. There’s a good customer base in these markets and they deserve the same Amazon experience that customers in metro cities enjoy.

We’re also working on making products more affordable for customers in these regions. For example, we launched Amazon Bazaar last year, providing access to products below ₹599. It’s about serving both premium customers and those in the lower-value segments — we need both.

There’s been a significant buzz around Amazon entering quick commerce in India. Many observers say you’re late to the game. How do you respond?

I don’t think we’re late at all. The market is still in its early stages — we’re just scratching the surface of its potential. Our “Amazon Now” pilot in Bengaluru is showing very encouraging results. We took our time to figure out the right approach and we will go big in this space.

Is there a timeline for the national rollout of this quick commerce service?

I won’t share specific dates, but our pilot is doing quite well and we are actively preparing to scale. Everything we do is customer-backwards. As I tell my team: “As fast as possible, but as slow as necessary.” You need to move quickly but also ensure that you’re listening to customers. We will do much bigger things on quick commerce very soon.

Your Global Selling programme has become a significant part of Amazon’s India story. What are the targets there?

We have 1,50,000 Indian sellers already exporting globally through our platform. We’ve enabled $13 billion in cumulative exports so far, and we’re targeting $80 billion by 2030. That’s a six-fold increase from current levels. We’re working with Central and State governments, trade bodies, and other partners to make e-commerce exports easier and more accessible for businesses of all sizes. The opportunity to help Indian MSMEs go global remains one of our most exciting initiatives.

Despite Amazon’s e-commerce dominance, you haven’t taken a leading position in digital payments. What’s your fintech strategy?

We have over 105 million customers using Amazon Pay UPI, which isn’t a small number. But you’re right — UPI alone is transactional, and nobody really makes money there. Our focus is creating an ecosystem of financial convenience.

The ICICI Amazon Pay Credit Card is one of the most widely-adopted cards in the market, especially among Prime members who enjoy up to 5 per cent cashback. Amazon Pay Later offers users a seamless one-click payment experience. We’re expanding our offerings, including lending solutions for our sellers. In the next 6 months, I believe we’ll deliver even more exciting and valuable financial products.

Amazon has made relatively few acquisitions in India. Is this a deliberate strategy?

Our approach is always customer-backwards, not competitor-backwards. We focus on what makes the most sense for our customers. In some markets, like the Middle East with the acquisition of Souk.com, we’ve made strategic acquisitions when we’ve found companies that align with our customer-first mindset and are built for the long term. In India, we’ve chosen to build many of our capabilities organically, focusing on creating the right solutions tailored to the needs of the local customer. That said, we’re always open to opportunities that align with our values and long-term strategy.

How is Amazon preparing for its marquee Diwali sale event this year?

We are investing in fulfilment infrastructure in places where we previously didn’t have capability. These are coming online as we gear up for what we call the Diwali period. I think our customers in some of these locations will be really happy with the capabilities we are building. I’m also focused on improving the selection — what we carry under the roof in our warehouses. My benchmark is Amazon.com, and compared to our global businesses, our assortment has to really grow. I’m excited about the level of affordability we’ll offer this year, especially through payment products and improvements there. We’ve also lowered seller fees during peak season, which means they can build much larger businesses. So the whole machinery is already in place.

There’s been speculation about Amazon India’s IPO. What’s your response? Also, give us an update about the CCI matter.

It’s all rumors and speculation. I’m not going to comment on that.

Regarding the CCI matter, we abide by all the laws and regulations in the country, and I would not like to add anything else right now as the matter is sub judice.

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