$6 billion market shakeup: Amazon challenges Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy with 15-minute delivery in India

E-commerce giant Amazon is entering India’s fast-growing $6 billion express commerce market, joining rivals like Zomato’s Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, Flipkart Minutes and BigBasket.

Sameer Kumar, Country Director, Amazon India, confirmed this development on December 10.

The initiative will be launched as a pilot later this month in Bengaluru. While reports have indicated that the service may be branded “Tez,” Amazon has not finalized the name yet.

“We will start a pilot program to give our customers the option of getting their daily essentials in 15 minutes or less,” Kumar said during Amazon’s flagship event, Smbhav, held in Delhi.

This marks a major step under Kumar’s leadership, just two months after he succeeded former president Manish Tiwari.

This commercial whirlwind has reportedly been in the works for months and is being rolled out at a time when Indian consumer preferences are changing rapidly.

“Our strategy has always focused on choice, value and convenience, and our vision is to build a large, profitable business in India,” Kumar said. He stressed the company’s intention to offer “the largest selection with the fastest speeds and the highest value” to customers in every pin code nationwide.

The express trade market has gained momentum as more customers turn to platforms that offer deliveries within minutes, moving away from traditional one- or two-day services. Analysts point out that the rise of companies like Blinkit and Zepto is eroding the market share of e-commerce giants, pushing Amazon and Flipkart to adapt to consumer demands.

By leveraging its existing base of millions of customers, including Prime members, Amazon is well positioned to enter the competitive space. “We already have millions of customers across India, including Prime members, who trust us and will look forward to this convenience,” Kumar added.