Flipkart and Amazon boost quick commerce networks in India

Major e-commerce rivals Flipkart and Amazon announced significant expansions of their quick commerce services in India on Wednesday, intensifying competition in a sector where domestic players have long dominated. Both companies are accelerating their push into smaller cities as they seek to capture a larger share of the fast-growing market for ultra-fast deliveries.

Flipkart, backed by Walmart, said its "Minutes" service has reached a network of 1,000 micro-fulfillment centers across more than 130 cities less than two years after its launch in August 2024. The company plans to increase that count to 1,500 by the end of 2026. Amazon announced it is expanding its "Now" service from over 15 cities to more than 300 cities across India. According to data from Datum Intelligence, Amazon currently operates about 500 such centers.

The expansion moves place the global giants in direct competition with established market leaders like Blinkit, which operates over 2,200 stores, and Swiggy's Instamart, which has more than 1,100. A recent analysis by Jefferies suggested that based on current and announced store counts, Flipkart could become India's second-largest quick commerce network by...