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<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Indian economy has grown strongly under Narendra Modi, whose party is set to win another term.</li><li>India's success has caught the eye of figures including Elon Musk, Jamie Dimon, and Tim Cook.</li></ul>India's powerful economic growth and blossoming middle class under Narendra Modi have caught the eye of corporate titans like Elon Musk, Jamie Dimon, and Tim Cook.Modi is pretty much a shoo-in for a third term as prime minister after the national election now underway ends on June 1. But the work starts there, as he'll have to navigate thorny issues such as youth unemployment, income inequality, and reliance on sanctioned Russian oil.<h2>Fueling growth and shaking hands</h2>India's economy has more than doubled in size during Modi's decade in charge to more than $3.7 trillion last year.The International Monetary Fund (IMF) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2024/04/29/asias-growth-and-inflation-outlook-improves-but-risks-remain">recently upgraded</a> its growth forecast for real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to a robust 7.8% this year, 6.8% in 2025, and 6.5% in 2026.India has already overtaken Britain to become the world's fifth-largest economy. It's on track to leapfrog Japan and Germany into third spot behind the US and China by 2027.The country's flagship stock index has also tripled in value since Modi took office in May 2014, thanks to wealth gains and growing investment appetites.Moreover, <a target="_blank" href="https://sbi.co.in/documents/13958/36530824/270224-HCES_Feb24.pdf">one estimate</a> puts the percentage of the Indian population living on less than $2.15 a day at below 5%, down from 12% in 2011. However, the <a target="_blank" href="https://pip.worldbank.org/country-profiles/IND">World Bank</a> pegged that figure at nearly 13% in 2021.India's middle class has also ballooned with 60 million people now earning the rupee equivalent of more $10,000 a year — about $37,200 once adjusted for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/profile/IND">purchasing power</a>. Goldman Sachs <a target="_blank" href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/intelligence/pages/indias-affluent-population-is-likely-to-hit-100-million-by-2027.html">expects</a> the ranks of the relatively affluent to swell to 100 million by 2027."Modi has done an unbelievable job in India," JPMorgan's Dimon <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jpmorgan-jamie-dimon-economy-inflation-recession-stagflation-geopolitics-crypto-bitcoin-2024-4">told</a> the Economic Club of New York last month. "I know the liberal press here, they beat the hell out of him. He's taken 400 million people out of poverty."Musk has <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1781541775183610310">posted</a> on X that he's looking forward to visiting India and meeting Modi this year. He delayed his trip last month, blaming "very heavy Tesla obligations." The pair are expected to discuss Tesla building a multibillion-dollar factory in the country.As for Apple's Cook, he hailed India on a November earnings call as an "incredibly exciting market" and a "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-tim-cook-obsessed-india-consumers-iphone-2023-7">major focus of ours</a>" given the explosive growth in potential customers as locals get richer.<div type="image" title="Sundar Pichai, Tim Cook, Narendra Modi, Joe Biden" height="3907" width="5861" msid="109838230" hostid="261" sizebytes="846512"></div>Modi has also met with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Microsoft boss Satya Nadella, and Alphabet's Sundar Pichai. He's likely to be seeking to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in India — and to capitalize on bosses' <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-china-relations-reshoring-manufacturing-jobs-made-in-america-2023-10">desire to hedge their bets on China</a> given its strained relationship with the US, economic woes, and how disruptive its strict pandemic lockdowns were to global supply chains."India's population and economic growth numbers are causing a lot of global executives to revisit their India presence and consider scaling up," Richard Rossow, a senior advisor and chair in US-India Policy Studies at the Center for Strategic &amp; International Studies, told Business Insider."Paired with increased concerns about supply chain resilience and security concerns about China, it's a very good time for a hard push to win investments."The United Nations said that India and China both had a population of 1.426 billion in April last year, meaning India is probably now the most populous given its rising birth rate.<h2>Change for the better — mostly</h2>Modi has instigated a raft of major economic reforms since taking office, intended to make India more business-friendly, and boost government revenues by taxing more of the country's vast informal economy.He rolled out a tax on goods and services, simplified bankruptcy laws, lifted FDI restrictions, cut corporate income tax, and ended retrospective taxation.However, not all of Modi's moves spurred growth."Demonetisation was a key economic policy which had negative effects on the economy," Kunal Sen, a director of the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics, told BI.Sen is the author of several books about India's economy and a professor of development economics at the University of Manchester.He was referring to Modi's sudden declaration in November 2016 that all 500 and 1,000-rupee bills — 86% of Indian currency in circulation — would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-ending-500-and-1000-rupee-bills-to-fight-corruption-2016-11">no longer be accepted as legal tender</a>.The government's goals were to capture undeclared income, get rid of counterfeit currency, broaden the tax base, and bring more activities into the formal economy."The other key economic policy was JAM — the trinity of bank accounts for the poor, mobile numbers and a biometric card. This last economic policy has been revolutionary," Sen said.He was hailing a broader digitization drive under Modi that has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/how-indias-digital-payments-ecosystem-has-evolved-in-the-last-one-year/slidelist/90595832.cms">transformed</a> how Indians bank, invest, pay their taxes, and conduct business.<h2>Prosperity for all</h2>Modi's efforts have helped to usher in a more prosperous era for some Indians, but many have been left behind.Young people are India's beating heart, with about half its population under 25 and almost two-thirds under 35. Matching those hundreds of millions of people with jobs has proven a challenge, with youth unemployment almost tripling from below 6% in 2000 to about 18% in 2019. It still stands at a hefty 10% in 2023, per the <a target="_blank" href="https://webapps.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---sro-new_delhi/documents/publication/wcms_921154.pdf">International Labor Organization</a>.The report found that nearly 30% of India's graduates were unemployed in 2022, and only about 10% of the working-age population was formally employed.<div type="image" title="A farmer uses oxen to plow fields for lentils in Nimaj, Rajasthan, northern India." height="3464" width="5196" msid="109838232" hostid="261" sizebytes="690700"></div>"Unemployment is a big issue," Rossow said, emphasizing this isn't just a problem with recent graduates but a "much, much larger bubble: the underemployed farm laborers."Rising agricultural productivity is likely to help farm workers make a faster transition to city life in the years ahead, but they'll struggle to secure modern jobs in the services industry "without significant reskilling and education," Rossow said.As a result, lower-skilled manufacturing and assembly jobs and lower-end services jobs will be needed, he added.Another major challenge will be tackling a widening wealth divide. The richest 10% of the population hold more than 72% of the nation's wealth, per an Oxfam report <a target="_blank" href="https://d1ns4ht6ytuzzo.cloudfront.net/oxfamdata/oxfamdatapublic/2023-01/India%20Supplement%202023_digital.pdf?">published</a> last year.Business tycoons Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani both rank among the world's 15 richest people, per the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/">Bloomberg Billionaires Index</a>. Luxury-goods sales are booming with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.carwale.com/news/mercedesbenz-lineups-waiting-period-reduced-in-india/">long waitlists</a> for flashy purchases like the Mercedes "G Wagon."<div type="image" title="The Ambani family onstage with Rihanna." height="854" width="1280" msid="109838233" hostid="261" sizebytes="99148"></div>The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/anant-ambani-pre-wedding-festivities-lack-empathy-india-radhika-merchant-2024-3">lavish pre-wedding party</a> thrown by the Ambani family earlier this year was singled out by some as an affront to the huge number of Indians living in poverty.Almost 1.3 billion people live on less than $3,500 a year by one estimate, and India ranks 111th on the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.globalhungerindex.org/ranking.html">Global Hunger Index</a>, below even North Korea.Rising equality is partly explained by a "capital-intensive mode of economic growth along with increasing power of business conglomerates," Sen told BI, referring to how huge companies like the Adani Group secure huge government contracts to build ports, bridges, highways, and other infrastructure.A third challenge is regional inequality, as some states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh haven't experienced the same growth and modernization of their economies as others, Rossow said.<h2>The Russia riddle</h2>One striking aspect of Modi's economic boom has been its reliance on Russia since it invaded Ukraine in early 2022.India went from getting 2% of its crude oil from Russia before the war, to 35% last year. During that period, the US and Europe slapped sanctions on Russian oil to defund Putin's military machine and punish Moscow for attacking a sovereign nation.Despite that, India purchased an estimated $37 billion of Moscow's oil in 2023 — 13 times the amount it bought annually prior to the conflict. Its buying helped Russia rake in a <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/russia-economy-oil-sales-india-ukraine-war-moscow-western-sanctions-2024-2">record $320 billion</a> of federal revenue last year.Indian demand for Russian oil has <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/russia-oil-trade-crude-india-discount-barrel-sanctions-price-cap-2024-2">cooled</a> in recent months as new sanctions have made it <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/russia-economy-oil-energy-exports-india-imports-revenue-sanctions-discount-2024-3">more expensive</a>, but the buying remains controversial.Officials in India have <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/crude-oil-prices-india-russia-trade-geopolitics-opec-supply-puri-2024-2">defended</a> the purchases, saying that if they'd bought Middle Eastern oil instead, global crude prices would have shot up.India is also one of the world's largest oil refiners and has helped Western nations to maintain access to refined petroleum products even as they're refraining from buying Russian crude directly.Yet the country imports 85% of its oil, so its overriding interest is securing the cheapest oil possible to support its development, said Neelima Jain, a senior fellow and chair in US India Policy Studies at CSIS."India will continue to buy Russian oil if the price remains favorable and allows for firm volume guarantees, as the country prioritizes energy affordability and accessibility during its rapid rural-to-urban transition, which has led to a 6% year-on-year growth in energy demand," she told BI."In an inflationary environment, economics [rather] than geopolitics will drive India's energy choices."<div type="image" title="Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin" height="3196" width="4714" msid="109838234" hostid="261" sizebytes="426292"></div><h2>India the IT hub</h2>Under Modi, India has made big strides in modernizing its economy, combating bureaucracy, and appealing to foreign investors.Big Tech stalwarts like Microsoft have a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-has-so-many-patents-its-outsourced-the-job-to-india-2013-5">long history</a> of outsourcing to India, but recent efforts to cut red tape and slash corporate taxes appear to have fueled fresh interest.Sweeping layoffs at Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Salesforce and other US tech titans in the past few years could presage a large exodus of jobs to India.Sanjay Shetty of Randstad India <a target="_blank" href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/outsourcing-hubs-like-india-to-bag-40-of-jobs-lost-to-layoffs/articleshow/101088673.cms?">told The Economic Times</a> last summer that he expected 30% to 40% of the tech jobs eliminated globally to move to India by 2025."India is going to be the biggest gainer in the medium to long term, as almost every company that we speak to is looking at expanding its India base," Shetty said.Even if that pans out, it won't be a panacea for a country facing not just unemployment and underemployment, but also stark income inequality, regional disparities, and the risk of alienating Western allies by continuing to buy Russian oil.Yet overall, India appears to be headed in the right direction."The growth is real, if focused on a few key states," Rossow said. "India's dynamic technology services sector is to IT services what China is to manufacturing. So there is much to cheer, even as the reform agenda seems to never end."

Tech titans love Modi's economic powerhouse India — despite mass unemployment and abject poverty 

In a boost to Elon Musk's <keyword id="20034452" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="starlink" source="keywords">Starlink</keyword>, Communications Minister Scindia has said the spectrum for satellite broadband will be allocated and not auctioned as sought by Indian billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Sunil Mittal. The satellite broadband spectrum will however be not given free and sector regulator Trai will fix a price for the resource, he told PTI in a text and video interview. "Every country has to follow the <keyword id="20848482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="international-telecommunications-union" source="keywords">International Telecommunications Union</keyword> (ITU), which is the organisation that lays out the policy for spectrum in space or satellites, and the ITU has been very clear in terms of the spectrum being given out on an assignment basis. In addition, if you look across the world today, I cannot think of a single country that auctions spectrum for satellite," Scindia said. India is a member of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a UN agency for digital technology. Musk's Starlink and global peers like Amazon's Project Kuiper back an administrative allocation. While Ambani's Reliance Jio has been vocal about the need to allocate such spectrum through an auction to provide a level playing field to legacy operators who buy airwaves and set up infrastructure like telecom towers, Mittal last month at an industry event where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also present articulated the need to use bidding for such allocation. Jio and Mittal's Bharti Airtel - India's largest and second-largest operators, respectively - feel that giving away the satellite broadband airwaves at a pre-decided price by the government will create an uneven playing field since they had to compete in an auction to get spectrum for their terrestrial wireless phone networks. The two are vying for a piece of the satellite broadband segment as well. Musk-led Starlink is demanding administrative allotment of licences in line with the global trend as it looks to tap into the world's fastest-growing mobile telephony and internet market. Scindia said the Telecom Act of 2023 passed in December has put the matter in 'Schedule 1', which means that the Satcom spectrum will be allocated administratively. Such an allocation will be at a government-decided price, and allow foreign firms like Starlink to offer voice and data services. If the spectrum were to be auctioned, it would have made it costlier for Starlink to roll out services. Starlink has applied for a licence to start operations in the country. Scindia, however, offered no clues on the fate of his application. The minister said that the regulatory process is very clear and transparent. The new Telecom Act has been passed, and the Satellite spectrum is very clearly a part of that in schedule one, he pointed out. "...and therefore, we are open to looking at the application of any entity that wants to invest in India at this point in time. I think only one or two licenses have been given out. And whoever else wants to participate, India is surely going to welcome that," the minister said. Last month, Musk, in a post on X, termed the demand made by Jio for shunning sector regulator Trai's consultation paper on satellite broadband being allocated and not auctioned as "unprecedented", and when Mittal made the pitch in the presence of the Prime Minister, he asked if it was "too much trouble" to allow Starlink to provide internet services in India. This was perhaps the first time that Musk, whose networth of USD 241 billion is more than the combined wealth of Ambani, Mittal and Gautam Adani, had spoken directly against demands for a level playing field made by the Indian firms. Musk, the mind behind PayPal, founder of Tesla and SpaceX and owner of X (formerly Twitter), uses his social media platform on a daily basis to make his views known on a vast array of topics.

In a win for Elon Musk, Scindia says no to spectrum auction pitch from Ambani, Mittal

Billionaire <keyword id="19916798" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani" source="keywords">Mukesh Ambani</keyword>'s Reliance Industries and <keyword id="19924335" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Group" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Tata Group" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Tata Group">Tata Group</keyword> have made it to the prestigious TIME's list of 100 World's Most Influential Companies of 2024. TIME called Reliance 'India's Juggernaut'. This is the second time that Reliance has found its way into the TIME list. Jio Platforms, the firm that holds digital properties of the conglomerate, was included in the inaugural TIME 100 Most Influential Companies List of 2021. Serum Institute is the other Indian company on the list. TIME listed Reliance in the 'Titans' category (one of the five categories under which the companies were divided, other being Leaders, Disrupters, Innovators, and Pioneers). Tata was listed in 'Titan's' category while Serum under 'Pioneers'. "Reliance Industries was founded as a textile and polyester company 58 years ago by Dhirubhai Ambani. Today the sprawling conglomerate -- which has aligned its growth with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for a 'self-reliant' India -- is the country's most valuable company, with a market capitalisation of more than USD 200 billion," TIME said. Now led by Dhirubhai's son Mukesh, the Mumbai-based company has ventures in energy, retail, and telecommunications, among others, and has made its chairman Asia's richest man, it said. The publication went on to stated that in February, Reliance came out on top in a fiercely competitive race to dominate India's burgeoning streaming market by striking a USD 8.5 billion merger deal with Disney's India business. "The deal will bring together more than 100 television channels and give the combined group around a 31 per cent share of India's streaming market compared to rivals Netflix and Amazon Prime with 8 per cent each," according to analytics firm Comscore. Reliance has revolutionised several economic sectors in the world's most populous country by making world-class products and services available at affordable prices with multiple innovations. Under Mukesh Ambani, the firm's telecom arm Jio revolutionised India's digital landscape and drove digital inclusion on an unprecedented scale with the most affordable mobile data tariffs in the world. It set up the world's largest single location refining complex. Reliance Retail is ranked among the top 100 retailers globally and in FY24 it registered 1.06 billion footfalls across its 18,800+ stores (67 per cent of which are in small towns and villages). Reliance is investing USD 10 billion in building the most comprehensive ecosystem for new energy and new materials in India and has set an ambitious goal to reach net-zero carbon by 2035. TIME described Serum as the world's biggest vaccine maker, churning out billions of vaccines. The company makes 3.5 billion doses every year, including for measles, polio, and most recently, HPV. "Serum's CEO Adar Poonawalla says the company's success can largely be chalked up to its private ownership. Not being beholden to shareholders allows it to keep vaccine prices low (the R21 will cost USD 4 a shot)," the publication said. Tata Group, it said, was founded in 1868 and has a vast portfolio extending from steel, software, watches, subsea cables, and chemicals, to salt, grains, air-conditioners, fashion, and hotels. "But as rivals have aggressively courted new businesses, it struggled to keep up with stiff competition. In 2017, after over a century of family management, N Chandrasekaran took over as chairman despite having no personal ties to the family -- highly unusual when India's business landscape is ruled by family succession plans," TIME said. As chair, he has transformed the group by investing in tech manufacturing, AI, and semiconductor chips. In 2023, it became the first Indian company to assemble iPhones, and is building another plant, it said, adding that in September, Tata announced a partnership with Nvidia to develop an AI cloud in India. "And this year, it announced plans for the country's first major semiconductor manufacturing facility. The moves seem to be paying off: in February, Tata's combined market capitalisation reached a whopping USD 365 billion, more than the entire economy of India's neighbour and rival, Pakistan," it added. This is the fourth edition of annual TIME100 Most Influential Companies list, highlighting companies making an extraordinary impact around the world. To assemble the list, TIME solicited nominations across sectors, and polled its global network of contributors and correspondents, as well as outside experts. Then, TIME editors evaluated each on key factors, including impact, innovation, ambition, and success. The result is a diverse group of 100 businesses helping chart an essential path forward. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/lok-sabha-exit-poll-2024-what-are-they-when-will-they-be-announced-and-all-you-need-to-know/articleshow/110565608.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/lok-sabha-exit-poll-2024-what-are-they-when-will-they-be-announced-and-all-you-need-to-know/articleshow/110565608.cms" target="_blank">Lok Sabha Exit Poll 2024 – what are they, when will they be announced and all you need to know</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/truecaller-can-now-detect-if-the-caller-is-using-ai-how-to-use-it-to-prevent-ai-call-scams/articleshow/110556100.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/truecaller-can-now-detect-if-the-caller-is-using-ai-how-to-use-it-to-prevent-ai-call-scams/articleshow/110556100.cms" target="_blank">Truecaller can now detect if the caller is using AI – How to use it to prevent AI call scams</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/webstories/indias-t20-world-cup-team-matches-and-everything-you-need-to-know/slidelist/110551798.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/webstories/indias-t20-world-cup-team-matches-and-everything-you-need-to-know/slidelist/110551798.cms" target="_blank">India’s T20 World Cup team, matches and everything you need to know</a>

Reliance, Tata on TIME's list of world's most influential companies

<ul><li><keyword id="191583" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jeff-Bezos">Jeff Bezos</keyword> is flying down to India to attend <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword>’s annual event for small and medium sized businesses.</li><li>The top boss at Amazon is also likely to meet Indian Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> during his India visit.</li><li>Regulatory uncertainties and trader grievances could figure in Bezos’ discussions with <keyword id="6354642" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi">Modi</keyword>.</li></ul>Jeff Bezos is coming to India next week, and his potential meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be critical for Amazon’s fortunes in India. Officially, the visit is timed with its annual SMBhav event, which is Amazon’s attempt at reaching out to the millions of small and medium businesses in the country. At the same time, there are many regulatory uncertainties that haunt Bezos’ India unit. 
 <div type="image" title="image" msid="73138267" hostid="261"></div>



 Sale of in-house brands Indian government has<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/29a96ff6-2615-11e9-8ce6-5db4543da632"> tightened rules</a> around foreign investment in multi-brand retail, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/india-e-commerce-policy-will-mean-trouble-for-flipkart-and-amazon/articleshow/72119136.cms">placing restriction</a>s on e-commerce players which operate on the inventory-based model. This forced Amazon to pull several product lines from its website from Amazon Basics, Solimo, Presto, and even Shoppers Stop. However, domestic e-commerce players like Snapdeal and Paytm Mall can accept foreign investments since they operate on a marketplace model. Amazon and its multinational peers including Walmart-owned Flipkart believe that this is unfair. However, this has not deterred Amazon from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/amazon-india-finds-way-around-new-e-commerce-rules-for-cloudtail-and-appario/articleshow/67831376.cms">finding loopholes in the system</a> that it can work to its advantage. To discount or not, is the question The Indian government<a href="https://consumeraffairs.nic.in/draft-rule"> introduced</a> draft policy Consumer Protection (e-commerce) Rules, 2019 that is aimed at protecting consumers against fraud and unfair trade practices. However, this draft policy prohibits e-commerce players from influencing the price and offering deep discounts. Essentially, Amazon will not be able to attract buyers by offering deep discounts, which could have an effect on its revenue. The government hopes that this will create a level playing field for both Amazon on one hand, and smaller e-tailers as well as physical retailers on the other. However, this policy will offer more advantage to someone like <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/mukesh-ambani-may-be-the-surprise-winner-from-indias-new-rules-hurting-amazon-and-walmart/articleshow/67751026.cms">Mukesh Ambani who has deep pockets as well as both online and offline retail business</a>. For Amazon and Jeff Bezos, this was an unexpected turn in legislation after years of investment in building a market for online retail. As it stands right now, it looks unlikely that the government will yield to Bezos’ request on allowing deep discounts to gain more market share or yield on the issue of allowing Indian data to leave the country. Recently, Indian commerce minister Piyush Goyal had summoned both Amazon and Flipkart in a bid to thaw the standoff between the e-commerce giants and the traders’ body CAIT (Confederation of All India Traders). However, the meeting <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/india-e-commerce-policy-will-mean-trouble-for-flipkart-and-amazon/articleshow/72119136.cms">reportedly</a> ended with Amazon and Flipkart executives being reprimanded by the minister. The question of data localisation Another facet of India’s National E-Commerce policy is data localisation. Something that’s also a part of the Personal Data Protection Bill currently being discussed by Parliamentary joint committee. The issue for Amazon is not the provision of servers since Amazon Web Services (AWS) already has data centres in Mumbai so data can be stored locally. However, if it needs to be sent to external servers for processing — Amazon will have to re-create those provisions within India. What’s in it for Modi? Given the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/economy/news/moodys-cuts-indias-fy20-growth-forecast-to-4-9-citing-a-sharp-fall-in-consumption/articleshow/72767514.cms">fragility of India’s economy</a>, and its need for fresh investments, combined with the stature of Bezos, Amazon may get an audience at the highest level even though the outcome of lobbying effort may be uncertain. India matters for Amazon India remains one of the fastest growing markets for Amazon. The company has pumped in over $5 billion in its Indian arm since launching here. Regulatory uncertainties could have a serious impact on the company’s revenues from India, which have the potential to touch $10 billion. For context, the Indian e-commerce market is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/india-internet-industry-goldman-sachs-investment-ideas-for-future/articleshow/72326122.cms">predicted</a> to touch $113 billion by 2025. If Amazon can manage to persuade the Indian government to stabilize its ecommerce rules, <keyword id="6354743" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-India">Amazon India</keyword> has the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/jeff-bezos-to-visit-india-in-january-may-meet-pm-modi/articleshow/72118227.cms">potential</a> to become the largest overseas subsidiary by displacing countries like the UK, Germany and Japan. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/jeff-bezos-rupert-murdoch-and-other-billionaires-lost-money-in-2019-these-are-the-10-biggest-losers/articleshow/73048111.cms">Jeff Bezos, Rupert Murdoch, and other billionaires lost money in 2019. These are the 10 biggest losers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/a-founding-amazon-employee-supports-the-idea-of-splitting-jeff-bezos-empire-in-two/articleshow/72939448.cms">A founding Amazon employee supports the idea of splitting Jeff Bezos' empire in two</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/we-compared-the-leadership-philosophies-of-amazon-ceo-jeff-bezos-and-microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-and-it-shows-the-major-differences-between-the-two-companies/articleshow/72961178.cms">We compared the leadership philosophies of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and it shows the major differences between the two companies</a>

Jeff Bezos may have a laundry list of requests for Narendra Modi when he visits India next week

<ul><li>A Reuters report revealed details about how the online retail giant tried to dodge India’s e-commerce regulations.</li><li>The company owned by <keyword id="191583" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jeff-Bezos">Jeff Bezos</keyword>, the world’s richest man, has hit back at the report “unsubstantiated, incomplete, factually incorrect”.</li><li>But the Indian trade minister has said that “there are certain complaints under investigation.”</li><li>Meanwhile, the Confederation Of All India Traders (CAIT), a lobby for small wholesalers and retailers, has called for a ban on Amazon.</li></ul>E-commerce giant Amazon has hit back at a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/amazon-india-operation/">Reuters </a>report that said that the company owned by Jeff Bezos, the world’s richest man, used several strategies to dodge India’s e-commerce regulations. The company has now lashed out calling the report “unsubstantiated, incomplete, factually incorrect”. <div type="twitter" handle="AmazonNews_IN" handlename="Amazon India News" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1250691196994740224/ujrX8N87_normal.jpg" favoritecount="183" retweetcount="141" status="The story is unsubstantiated, incomplete, factually incorrect. Amazon remains compliant with Indian laws. We haven'… https://t.co/2r00z9PecY" createdat="1613581739000" id="1362086655755051008"></div> However, the matter has already escalated. India’s commerce minister Piyush Goyal has <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/goyal-warns-e-commerce-cos-against-flouting-norms-rules-out-policy-change-121020901704_1.html">reportedly said</a> that, “there are certain complaints from consumers and small retailers about certain practices of e-commerce companies which are under investigation. We have sought several information. They are being looked into,” he said <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/goyal-warns-e-commerce-cos-against-flouting-norms-rules-out-policy-change-121020901704_1.html">recently.</a> Goyal, who is known to have rapped the foreign <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/probing-predatory-pricing-by-flipkart-amazon-piyush-goyal/articleshow/71638881.cms?from=mdr">e-commerce players</a> in previous industry meetings, also asserted that “India’s e-commerce policy is robust and well designed and will not be changed.” <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="81087952" title="Cairn Energy CEO meets Indian finance secretary as shareholders impatiently wait for action on the $1.4 billion tax dispute" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> At the same time, the Confederation Of All India Traders (CAIT), a lobby for small wholesalers and retailers, has called for a ban on Amazon. “It is a matter of shame on Amazon that it was least bothered and kept indulging itself into continuing its sinister designs to manipulate and control not only e- commerce but even the retail trade,” CAIT said in a statement. The last thing that Bezos wanted Online marketplaces Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart have been complaining about the recent changes in India’s e-commerce policy. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Recent changes </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Impact </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules 2020 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Labelling should mention expiry date of products and country of origin, along with the price. The platforms will also be liable for mis-selling and false advertising. The platforms will not be able to impose cancellation charges or to “manipulate the prices” by classifying or discriminating the customer. </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Equalisation levy </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Foreign e-commerce companies will pay additional 2% for revenue generated from Indian customers. </td></tr></tbody></table> For almost two years now, the Modi government has been working on an e-commerce policy. The draft has already been shared with the e-commerce players in India. The policy will aim to regulate the booming e-commerce sector and also keep an eye on the role of foreign players. The government is also under pressure from the offline traders⁠— who count among the traditional vote bank for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government⁠— who claim that the online retail giants are driving them out of business. The Reuters report seems to back up some of these charges against Amazon. The report said that Amazon had preferential treatment towards sellers that it had a stake in – Cloudtail and Appario. “Two more sellers on the e-commerce giant’s India platform – merchants in which Amazon had indirect equity stakes – accounted for around 35% of the platform’s sales revenue in early 2019,” said the report. Bezos, who promised to invest an extra $1 billion in India — taking the total committed investment in the country to $6.5 billion — on his last visit to New Delhi in 2020, has not seen the Narendra Modi administration soften its stance on foreign e-commerce players. The latest charge will further reduce the negotiating chips on the table for Amazon, which counts India among <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51117515">its biggest growth markets</a>. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/not-just-a-tiktok-clone-says-chingari-app-founder-with-their-latest-shop-within-videos-feature-which-he-claims-is-the-next-big-thing-in-social-commerce/articleshow/81084432.cms">‘Not just a TikTok clone,’ says Chingari founder with their latest shop within videos feature which he claims is the next big thing in social commerce</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/checkout-viral-memes-and-jokes-on-social-media-around-petrol-price-in-india/articleshow/81085815.cms">The painful surge in fuel prices in India has led to some hilarious memes and videos on Twitter and Instagram</a>

Amazon denies dodging Indian regulations⁠ but the government is already investigating and rivals want a ban on Jeff Bezos’ company

<ul><li>India has rejected a US State Department report that made critical comments on the status of minorities in the South Asian country.</li><li>US has no 'locus standi', said a spokesperson from the <keyword id="6374106" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="ministry-of-external-affairs">Ministry of External Affairs</keyword>.</li><li>This is a fresh front in the India-US bilateral ties that has come to the fore ahead of Mike Pompeo's visit.</li></ul>India has rejected a US State Department report that made critical comments on the status of minorities in the South Asian country. US has no 'locus standi', said a spokesperson from the Ministry of External Affairs. This is a fresh front in the India-US bilateral ties that has come to the fore ahead of US Secretary of State <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-secretary-of-state-may-visit-india-in-june/articleshow/69571301.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Michael Pompeo's visit to India</a>. "We see no locus standi for a foreign entity/government to pronounce on the state of our citizens' constitutionally protected rights," he said. "India is proud of its secular credentials, its status as the largest democracy and a pluralistic society with a longstanding commitment to tolerance and inclusion," Kumar said. This was in response to a query on the latest 'Report on International Religious Freedom', published by the State Department, which said, ", “There were reports by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that the government sometimes failed to act on mob attacks on religious minorities, marginalized communities, and critics of the government. Some senior officials of the Hindu-majority Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made inflammatory speeches against minority communities… According to some NGOs, authorities often protected perpetrators from prosecution. As of November, there were 18 such attacks, and eight people [were] killed during the year.” Pressure tactic The report is further significant as it has been released just days ahead of Pompeo's visit to India. He will arrive in New Delhi on Tuesday on a three-day visit ahead of his trips to Japan and South Korea. There are multiple points of difference between the Donald Trump and Narendra Modi administrations. This report may sour the mood in the Indian government before the bilateral talks, which will include a whole host of contentious issues from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-tariff-on-us-imports-ahead-of-mike-pompeos-visit-to-delhi/articleshow/69819645.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">trade tariffs</a> to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-donald-trump-plans-a-15-cap-on-h-1b-visas-for-selective-nations-including-india/articleshow/69869965.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">curbs on US visas for Indians</a>, from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-secretary-of-state-may-visit-india-in-june/articleshow/69571301.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">defence deals with Russia</a> to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/serious-diplomatic-engagement-can-still-reduce-us-iran-tension-2019-6?IR=T" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">oil purchases from Iran</a>, from the difficulties <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/seven-indian-pharma-companies-are-being-dragged-into-a-us-lawsuit-over-high-drug-prices/articleshow/69318841.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">faced by Indian drug makers</a> and IT services exporters in US to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/amazon-walmart-seek-us-help-against-indias-new-draft-e-commerce-policy/articleshow/65228547.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">new e-commerce policy</a> that will make life difficult for the likes of Amazon and Walmart (which owns Flipkart) in India, and these are just a few of the top issues. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-donald-trump-plans-a-15-cap-on-h-1b-visas-for-selective-nations-including-india/articleshow/69869965.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Trump plans a 15% cap on H-1B visas — and Indians will be hurt the most</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-exports-to-be-affected-most-by-us-withdrawal-of-trade-benefits/articleshow/69631996.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">These sectors will hurt the most from US withdrawing trade benefits to India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/amazon-walmart-seek-us-help-against-indias-new-draft-e-commerce-policy/articleshow/65228547.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Amazon, Walmart seek US help against India’s new draft E-commerce Policy</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-donald-trump-plans-a-15-cap-on-h-1b-visas-for-selective-nations-including-india/articleshow/69869965.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&amp;utm_medium=text&amp;utm_campaign=cppst" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Rise in US H-1B visa rejection may force Indian tech companies to look at M&amp;A</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-tariff-on-us-imports-ahead-of-mike-pompeos-visit-to-delhi/articleshow/69819645.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">India hits back at US with added tariffs on 28 products including almonds, apples and walnuts — just ahead of Pompeo's visit</a> With inputs from IANS

India tells US to shush after the State Department called out the Modi government's passivity to 'hate' against minorities

<ul><li><keyword id="6354743" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-India">Amazon India</keyword> Country Manager <keyword id="215413" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amit-Agarwal">Amit Agarwal</keyword> laid down five areas that India should focus on to be a trillion dollar <keyword id="6354648" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-economy">digital economy</keyword>. </li><li>Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for focussed effort to turn India into a $5 trillion economy. </li><li>A major push for the $5 trillion economy will come from India’s digital businesses.</li></ul>Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for focussed effort to turn India into a $5 trillion economy and it has become a topic of debate. A slowing economy has made the country only question it further. A major push for the $5 trillion economy will come from India’s digital businesses. Though the Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/business/story/don-t-need-amazon-fdi-to-build-5-trillion-dollar-economy-says-rss-economic-wing-1637916-2020-01-17">recently snubbed </a><keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> saying India doesn’t need its FDI to be a $5 trillion economy, Amazon is still bullish. At the 14th India Digital Summit organised by Internet &amp; Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), Amazon India Country Manager Amit Agarwal laid down five areas that India should focus on to be a trillion dollar digital economy. “It should be thought about – is it a forgone conclusion that we will get to being a trillion dollar digital economy. Sometimes you can confuse the luck that we have right now to be an entitlement and take it for granted and say that .. yeah in 5 years we can be a trillion dollar digital economy. I think there's a lot of work between here and there,” said Agarwal. Here are the five areas that we need to consciously focus on, as suggested by Agarwal. Skill We are blessed to have a young population like no one else in the world. If we really want to leverage the collective wisdom, digital literacy is important. There needs to be a collective effort by companies and governments and programmes. We need more focus on science, engineering and machine learning as a part of fundamental education so that the next generation can be prepared. This is an area of priority. Grassroot Entrepreneurship It's very fortunate to see the startup ecosystem grow so quickly and get to the point where it is today. But there is a whole segment out there that is ripe and ready to blossom. It’s probably the most entrepreneurial segment out there – the 10 million plus micro and small medium businesses. From kirana stores to delivery points, the amazing adaptiveness of this group is just mind boggling. If we can empower them with the right kind of tools and services, so that they can scale it will be great. There’s a lot more that can be done by just removing friction. Women in the skillforce The third is basically a combination of just math and being right. It's very interesting to see that if you simulate women participation in the Indian workforce that stands at 27% and just bring it to the global average of 48%, we add $700 million to our economy. It’s a straight recipe for adding almost a trillion dollars. It’s not just good math but also being right – having equal perspective will help us build better products, serve customers better as a country, society and an organisation. Artificial Intelligence AI is one of the areas that is under misconception where people feel it might take over, might channel conflicts about labour in India. But if you really think about it, AI-backed solutions for automation at scale can simply improve productivity, give better outcomes and result in job creation. This, especially in a country like India where scale and diversity is massive. My team has been working with the government on how to use AI to improve the grading of farm produce. Policy framework Fifth aspect is a policy framework that is enabling and stable. These kinds of large scale transformations need capital and you need to have that stability to impact long range investments and bets that can feel safe of not being churned around. It’s important to build partnership between industry and policymakers that is based on trust, tries to drive minimum governance, that worries about privacy but not at the expense of innovation. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/baahubali-star-rana-daggubati-and-anthill-ventures-selects-7-consumer-brand-startups-for-its-mentorship-programme/articleshow/73958643.cms?src=hp_wh">Baahubali star Rana Daggubati and Anthill Ventures selects 7 consumer brand startups for its mentorship programme</a>

Amazon India head’s 5 ideas to take India’s digital economy to $1 trillion

<ul><li>In the face of rising H-1B visa rejections, Indian IT firms may take steps to start acquiring companies in the US to continue providing services to their American clients.</li><li>If you withdraw more than ₹1 million in cash in a year, then there might a new tax on the horizon that you need to know about. </li><li>India loves cricket but viewership numbers on <keyword id="2739840" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hotstar">Hotstar</keyword> show that it may love the Indian Premier League (IPL) more than it likes to watch the <keyword id="3859" type="SPORT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cricket-World-Cup">Cricket World Cup</keyword> 2019.</li><li>Amazon, Google and Facebook are the top three trusted brands in India. Facebook makes it to third place despite the many privacy and data concerns around the social networking giant.</li></ul>This Tech Insider’s daily dose of <keyword id="35609" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="tech-news">tech news</keyword> — everything that’s happening in tech that you need to know about today from Business Insider and its partner publications:

Today’s top tech news: The Cricket World Cup vs IPL on Hotstar, Indian IT firms vs H-1B visas and Modi vs cash withdrawals

Today’s top tech news: The Cricket World Cup vs IPL on Hotstar, Indian IT firms vs H1-B visas and Modi vs cash withdrawals

New Delhi, Riding on the <keyword id="764949" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="stellar-performance">stellar performance</keyword> of <keyword id="6354606" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="iPhone">iPhone</keyword> 11 and XR, <keyword id="6354427" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="apple">Apple</keyword> for the first time doubled its <keyword id="1368592" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="smartphone-market-share">smartphone market share</keyword> in India to nearly 4% in the festive quarter of 2020, a new report said on Monday. Despite arriving in October, the iPhone 12 contributed significantly towards the rise of Apple in Q4 (October-December) in the country, according to data provided by market intelligence firm <keyword id="611566" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="CyberMedia-Research">CyberMedia Research</keyword> (CMR). The tech giant registered over 60% growth (yea-on-year) in its India business in the full year 2020 while for the festive quarter, the growth was an impressive 100% (YoY). The Apple iPad category saw 25% growth (performance-wise) in Q4 and for the full year 2020, it logged 17% growth. For the calendar year 2020, Apple's total India smartphone share was about 2.4%, which is a significant rise. The tech giant registered over 60% growth in its India business in the full year while for the festive quarter, the growth was an impressive 100%. "Apple continues its stellar run in the India smartphone market, gaining strength on the back of increased local manufacturing and strong marketing initiatives during the festive season," Prabhu Ram, Head-Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CMR, told IANS. "In doing so, it continues to gain on its enduring aspirational appeal. In particular, the new 5G-capable iPhone shipments did extremely well during the fourth quarter. We believe Apple is on track to grow further and gain strength in the year ahead, as it unveils its new India initiatives on the back of its <keyword id="5298290" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="New-online-store">new online store</keyword>, and upcoming flagship retail stores," Ram added. Apple iPad's (YOY) growth was 42 per cent while in Q4 2020, it was a massive 135 per cent (Y-oY), according to the CMR data. "Amid the pandemic, Apple iPad has continued to benefit from the prevailing remote learning needs. As an attractive companion device, the iPad has especially found favour with users seeking premium devices," said Menka Kumari, Analyst - Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CMR. Apple CEO Tim Cook had revealed that the company set its September quarter record in India last year, also partly due to the launch of Apple Store Online that went live in the country on September 23, 2020. "Geographically, we set September quarter records in America, Europe and the rest of Asia Pacific. We also set a September quarter record in India, thanks in part to a very strong reception to this quarter's launch of our online store in the country," Cook told analysts over the company's earnings call. Targeting Android mid-segment users as well as aspirational iPhone seekers, Apple brought the new iPhone SE to India, that looks like Apple iPhone 8 with the power of the iPhone 11. The company in September quarter opened a direct online store, giving it several new angles in its go-to-market strategy, such as utilising device trade-ins to provide purchase incentives or bundling AirPods with <keyword id="57315" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="iPhones">iPhones</keyword> to make them more appealing. The online store marked the first time that Apple offered its full line-up of products directly to the region's customers, who previously had to buy items through <keyword id="6354743" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-India">Amazon India</keyword>, Flipkart, or other authorised sellers. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/an-american-electric-car-maker-explains-why-it-took-a-different-route-than-elon-musks-tesla-tata-motors-or-mahindra/articleshow/80442243.cms?upcache=2">An American electric car maker explains why it took a different route than Elon Musk’s Tesla, Tata Motors or Mahindra</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/new-realme-stores-in-india-and-ceo-says-there-is-plan-for-new-devices/articleshow/80443801.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Realme plans to open 500 new stores in 2021⁠— the CEO reveals the company will go beyond smartphones in the 5G era</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/amplify-ai-the-conversational-ai-startup-founded-by-two-south-asians-has-scored-big-with-brands-and-governments/articleshow/80443958.cms">From Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' win to the Modi government's COVID-19 reach out⁠— a startup founded by two South Asians has scored big with brands and governments</a>

Apple doubles its India market share this winter thanks to the launch of its online store and sales of iPhone 11, XR and 12

<ul><li>A recent directive from the Indian government on the extended lockdown allowed the ecommerce platforms to deliver non-essential items as well, starting April 21.</li><li> However, now the government has issued a new order that excludes ecommerce platforms from selling non-essential items from its revised guidelines that allow relaxation.</li><li> As a result, you will not be able to order electronics, mobile phones and other such items till May 3, when the current lockdown is scheduled to be lifted.</li></ul>If you have been waiting to order a new phone or any other electronic like a TV or a laptop, you will have to wait a little longer. While delivery of non-essential items was expected to resume after April 20, the government has issued a new notification that prohibits the sale of non-essential items on <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword>, <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> and other e-commerce platforms till the lockdown is lifted. On April 16, the Ministry of Home Affairs<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/good-news-now-you-order-non-essentials-on-amazon-paytm-mall-snapdeal-and-others/articleshow/75180220.cms"> issued revised guidelines</a> allowing e-commerce platforms to deliver non-essential items from April 21. The revised guidelines asked platforms to ensure strict social distancing. Remarking on this, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said yesterday, “More than 40 lakh traders are supplying essential goods across India ever since the lockdown came into effect. Sidelining and ignoring them, the e-commerce companies have been allowed to deliver non-essential goods from April 20 onwards. It is a one-sided and unjust decision and against the larger interest of the traders and will create an imbalance in the country.” “Today, we have written a letter to PM Modi, asking him to intervene in the matter and reconsider the decision," CAIT’s secretary-general Praveen Khandelwal said. Indian e-commerce players Paytm Mall and Snapdeal welcome the move, saying they were already in talks with brands and their e-commerce partners. You will have to wait two more weeks to buy mobile phones, electronics and more Now that the government has prohibited Amazon, Flipkart and others from selling non-essential items, buyers will have to wait two more weeks before they can purchase mobile phones, electronics and other non-essential items. Earlier today, Flipkart had notified its users about ordering TVs and other items. However, it has now removed those details from its app and its homepage after the Home Ministry’s order. The lockdown is scheduled to be lifted on May 3. You will have to wait until then to buy these non-essential items. "Now that the lockdown will be way past its initial 21 days period, it is imperative to expand the definition of “essential goods”. In fact not doing so could be counterproductive at this time. While the entire nation is forced indoors and working from home for extended period it is important that besides food, groceries and medicine, we also ensure supply of other critical items like kitchenware and small kitchen appliances, personal hygiene items, inner wear, work from home essentials like phones, laptops and accessories etc.", Sanjay Sethi, ShopClues CEO said in a statement. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/good-news-now-you-order-non-essentials-on-amazon-paytm-mall-snapdeal-and-others/articleshow/75180220.cms">Good news! Now you can order non-essentials on Amazon, Paytm Mall, Snapdeal and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/coronavirus-hits-mumbais-jaslok-hospital-31-nurses-5-doctors-test-positive/articleshow/75229762.cms">Coronavirus hits Mumbai's Jaslok hospital, 31 nurses, 5 doctors test positive</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/economy/news/india-amends-fdi-policy-to-prevent-opportunistic-acquisitions-of-indian-companies-by-the-chinese/articleshow/75222108.cms">India amends FDI policy to prevent ‘opportunistic acquisitions’ of Indian companies⁠ by the Chinese</a>

You Searched For "Amazon India Modi" and got 11 results

Tech titans love Modi's economic powerhouse India — despite mass unemployment and abject poverty

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In a win for Elon Musk, Scindia says no to spectrum auction pitch from Ambani, Mittal

PTI

Reliance, Tata on TIME's list of world's most influential companies

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Jeff Bezos may have a laundry list of requests for Narendra Modi when he visits India next week

Rounak Jain

Amazon denies dodging Indian regulations⁠ but the government is already investigating and rivals want a ban on Jeff Bezos’ company

Sanchita Dash

India tells US to shush after the State Department called out the Modi government's passivity to 'hate' against minorities

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Amazon India head’s 5 ideas to take India’s digital economy to $1 trillion

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Today’s top tech news: The Cricket World Cup vs IPL on Hotstar, Indian IT firms vs H-1B visas and Modi vs cash withdrawals

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Today’s top tech news: The Cricket World Cup vs IPL on Hotstar, Indian IT firms vs H1-B visas and Modi vs cash withdrawals

Apple doubles its India market share this winter thanks to the launch of its online store and sales of iPhone 11, XR and 12

IANS

Amazon, Flipkart cannot deliver non-essential items like mobile phones, TVs during lockdown

Rounak Jain

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