Jassy in India: Amazon triples quick commerce to 300 cities

Key Takeaways

• Amazon expands quick commerce service Amazon Now to 300 cities with 1,000 dark stores, tripling its earlier 100-city target
• Hyderabad's spacetech cluster has grown to 95 startups that have collectively raised $331 million
• Meta taps Cred founder Kunal Shah to lead WhatsApp globally after Chris Cox sought his advice on the messaging platform

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy landed in India this week to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. The visit coincides with Amazon tripling its quick commerce ambitions: Amazon Now will expand to 300 cities, up from an earlier target of 100, backed by 1,000 micro-warehouses.

The announcement signals Amazon's aggressive push into India's booming quick commerce market, where Zepto, Blinkit, and Swiggy Instamart have established strong positions. Amazon Now currently operates about 500 dark stores across 15 cities including Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Amritsar, and Kochi.

What's driving Amazon's quick commerce expansion?

Prime members who start using Amazon Now triple their shopping frequency, according to Amazon India Country Manager Samir Kumar. That behavioral shift explains the scale of investment. Amazon announced Rs 2,800 crore for India infrastructure as part of its broader $35 billion commitment by 2030.

Flipkart isn't sitting still. Its Flipkart Minutes service claims 1,000 fulfillment centers across 130 cities in under two years. The quick commerce battle in India is now a three-way fight between Amazon, Flipkart, and the dedicated players like Zepto and Blinkit.

Hyderabad emerges as India's private spacetech capital

Beyond e-commerce, the week's other significant development comes from Hyderabad. The city has grown from hosting two anchor companies, Skyroot Aerospace and Dhruva Space, into India's most diverse private spacetech cluster with an estimated 95 startups.

Collectively, these companies have raised more than $331 million. Skyroot and Dhruva account for nearly half that total, but the pipeline is filling. Industry estimates suggest 12 to 15 new ventures joined the ecosystem in the last two years alone.

The new wave of founders includes former ISRO scientists and alumni of early spacetech startups. They're building across orbital computing, space debris removal, satellite cybersecurity, communications, testing infrastructure, and critical space components.

Why Hyderabad and not Bengaluru?

Founders point to a combination of aerospace and defense infrastructure, strong manufacturing capabilities, access to testing facilities, academic partnerships, and ecosystem enablers like T-Hub and T-Works.

“The ecosystem is coming together to offer a complete package to the world. These companies compete not with each other, but globally.”

— CVS Kiran, cofounder and CEO, Red Balloon Aerospace

Fundraising has shifted too. Dhruva Space cofounder Chaitanya Dora says the 163rd investor he pitched was the first to say yes. Today, conversations have moved from proving the market exists to debating scalability and global competitiveness. The next phase of growth, though, will require demand beyond government contracts.

Kunal Shah takes over WhatsApp at Meta

In a surprise move, Meta tapped Cred founder Kunal Shah to lead WhatsApp globally. The appointment puts one of India's most recognized consumer-tech builders in charge of Meta's most important business.

The story starts with a cold email. Meta Chief Product Officer Chris Cox reached out to Shah directly, seeking advice on choosing WhatsApp's next leader. Cox told Bloomberg that Shah's ideas on WhatsApp left an immediate impression.

Meta believes local intuition matters at WhatsApp's scale. India is WhatsApp's largest market with over 500 million users, and Shah's experience building Cred's engagement loops gives him perspective on how Indian consumers use messaging platforms differently.

IT CEO compensation in FY26

The week also brought data on IT CEO pay. Salil Parekh at Infosys topped the charts. Indian IT companies continue to pay their chiefs well despite margin pressures and slower deal closures in key markets.

Cybersecurity spending rises in India

Enterprise cybersecurity budgets in India are climbing. The trend reflects increased attack surfaces as companies digitize operations and regulatory pressure to protect customer data.

For CTOs and CISOs, the budget increase represents both opportunity and accountability. Boards are more willing to fund security initiatives but also expect measurable outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cities will Amazon Now operate in after expansion?

Amazon Now will expand to 300 cities in India, tripling its earlier target of 100 cities. The service will be backed by 1,000 micro-warehouses or dark stores.

How much have Hyderabad spacetech startups raised?

Hyderabad's approximately 95 spacetech startups have collectively raised more than $331 million, with Skyroot Aerospace and Dhruva Space accounting for nearly half the total.

Why did Meta hire Kunal Shah for WhatsApp?

Meta CPO Chris Cox reached out to Shah seeking advice on WhatsApp leadership. Shah's consumer-tech experience at Cred and his understanding of WhatsApp's largest market, India, made him the choice to lead the platform globally.

What is Amazon's total investment commitment to India?

Amazon has committed $35 billion to India by 2030, with Rs 2,800 crore announced specifically for strengthening infrastructure and operations.

How many new spacetech startups joined Hyderabad's ecosystem recently?

Industry estimates suggest 12 to 15 new spacetech ventures joined Hyderabad's ecosystem over the last two years.

Source: Tech-Economic Times