Amazon India's unit gets 23.1b rupees in fresh funds from parent

[BENGALURU] Amazon.com has invested 23.10 billion rupees (S$431.2 million) in Amazon Seller Services, an Indian unit, strengthening the business at a time when more people shop online in a bid to avoid crowded public places.

Amazon Singapore made a significant portion of financing, data from business intelligence firm Tofler showed.

The company's Indian arm in May said it would hire 50,000 temporary workers to meet a surge in online shopping in the country.

The company, which competes with Walmart's Flipkart in India, has also been expanding its seller network in the country.

Indian laws allow foreign e-commerce companies to operate as "market places", connecting buyers with sellers online.

As India went into lockdown, Amazon encouraged small shops to join as sellers on its platform in a bid to boost local businesses and expand its reach.

Jeff Bezos-led Amazon.com in January announced a US$1 billion investment to bring more than 10 million small businesses online in India by 2025.

REUTERS