A WHISTLE-BLOWER WITHIN AMAZON FLAGGED ALLEGED BRIBERY ISSUES IN ITS INDIAN OPERATIONS

Andy Jassy, Amazon’s new CEO, is targeting India for growth even as challenges mount in what is arguably the online retailer’s most important market for expansion. The company is up against Walmartbacked Flipkart as well as billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s retail websites including JioMart, all seeking a bigger slice of a potential market topping 1-billion consumers. Amazon, which employs more than 100,000 across India, has pledged to digitise 10-million small business, enable $10bn in exports and create 2-million jobs in the country by 2025.

In August, India’s supreme court allowed an antitrust investigation to proceed against Amazon’s local unit and Flipkart for allegedly abusing their dominance by offering deep discounts and preferential treatment to some vendors.

The South Asian nation is tightening regulations for online retailers following years of protests by local brick-and-mortar traders who fear that deeppocketed global competition could push them out of business.