Amazon India expands its quick commerce network, focusing on more than 1,000 micro-fulfilment centres

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Amazon India quick commerce expansion

Highlights

Amazon India is adding around two new micro-fulfilment centres every calendar day, with the nationwide total set to surpass 1,000 soon.
The company's fulfilment network serves more than 2 million sellers across 19 states, with 64 million cubic feet of capacity, alongside plans to invest $48 billion in 2026-2030.
Amazon has developed a hub delivery model with 28,000 kirana stores and added more than 10,000 electric vehicles to its network, advancing AI-based inventory and delivery optimization.

This article was translated from the original. Read the original version by our correspondent here.

Expansion strategy and network infrastructure

In an interview with Forbes India, Amazon India Operations Vice President Abhinav Singh said quick commerce has so far been largely limited to India's metropolitan areas, but the company is working on plans to take it to around 300 cities. According to him, this format cannot meet every customer need, which is why Amazon views deliveries in minutes, hours and the next day as part of one integrated, broader network.

According to Singh, the company is currently adding around two micro-fulfilment centres every calendar day, and the number of such centres nationwide is set to exceed 1,000 soon. He said this expansion is not being built entirely from scratch, as Amazon has already established warehousing, transportation, monitoring systems and a software stack in India over more than a decade.

The company's network includes fulfilment centres across 19 states, with total storage capacity of around 64 million cubic feet, serving more than 2 million sellers. Amazon recently also announced plans to invest $48 billion in India between 2026 and 2030.

Singh said Amazon began with one train in 2019 as the first e-commerce company to partner with Indian Railways, and it now has a presence on more than 160 trains. The company is also using its dedicated air network with two freighter aircraft, alongside partnerships linked to the Dedicated Freight Corridor.

Cost efficiency, AI and impact on the Indian market

According to Singh, Amazon's quick commerce strategy is based on service quality and network efficiency rather than short-term cash burn. He said using micro-fulfilment centres as a component within a larger network makes replenishment and transportation costs more efficient, especially when the same vehicle can be deployed for multiple purposes at different times of the day.

The company also said it developed a hub delivery model in India with 28,000 kirana stores and local businesses, which was later adopted in markets such as Japan, the U.S. and the UK. In addition, last-mile models such as Amazon Flex, Delivery Service Partner and Extended Delivery Service Partner are part of its distribution infrastructure in India, creating a network of around 1,000 delivery stations across the country.

Technology investment remains a key part of the company's reliability and speed strategy. According to Singh, AI plays a central role in packaging selection, assortment planning, inventory placement and real-time delivery promise adjustment, while the company also has a digital twin of its physical network that immediately adjusts delivery times based on traffic or other disruptions.

He said the three main pillars of infrastructure investment are associate safety, speed and reliability. Under this framework, Amazon has added more than 10,000 electric vehicles to its network and is also piloting 32-foot electric trucks on routes such as Delhi-Agra and Delhi-Jaipur.

Our previous report discussed Amazon Now's rapid expansion in India, where the service surpassed $1 billion in annualized gross sales and reached 60+ cities with order growth since January 2025. It highlighted a network of 750+ micro/urban fulfilment centres, a large share of Prime members, and a scaling strategy that integrates local retail stores into an omnichannel model for smaller cities.

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