Amazon, India Post sign MoU to boost nationwide delivery capabilities

Amazon Transportation Services (Amazon India) and the Department of Posts (India Post) today announced a strategic Memorandum of Understanding to fortify their nationwide logistics partnership.

By combining Amazon's customer-centricity and technological prowess with India Post's vast last-mile delivery network and decades of expertise, the collaboration aims to redefine benchmarks in e-commerce logistics.

Under the MoU, the two will closely synchronize operations through seamless integration and knowledge exchange to maximize efficiencies, optimize resource utilization, and explore capacity sharing across their logistics networks. The alliance will drive mutual growth while elevating the delivery experience for Amazon customers, especially in remote and rural parts of India.

In the last 2-3 years, India Post’s footprint across the Amazon logistics network has more than doubled with pickup points growing from 6 locations to 13 locations across the country. In another first, Amazon became the first e-commerce company to enable an end-to-end integrated cash-on-delivery solution with India Post. This along with overall improvements has resulted in a near 3X increase in the volume of Amazon parcels being delivered via India Post in the past 18 months.

Abhinav Singh, VP of Operations, Amazon India said, “Our relationship with India Post has been a pivotal part of Amazon’s growth story in India and has contributed to making e-commerce a nationwide phenomenon. By joining forces with this iconic institution that has served India for decades, we have been able to create new benchmarks in logistics and customer service repeatedly over the years. This aligns seamlessly with the government's vision to modernize and augment India Post's services and reach using cutting-edge technology and processes. As we elevate this alliance to the next level through the MoU signed today, I am confident that the best is yet to come. With Amazon's customer obsession and India Post's unparalleled nationwide presence, we are uniquely positioned to redefine the e-commerce logistics experience. We look forward to achieving many more milestones together in service of our customers and communities across India.

Vandita Kaul, Secretary (Posts), Department of Post said, “India Post, with its extensive network of about 165000 post offices, is uniquely equipped to democratize e-commerce across the nation. Our partnership with Amazon represents a significant leap forward in our efforts to bridge the digital divide, enhancing e-commerce across for all citizens. Aligned with the vision set forth by the Hon'ble Minister of Communications, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, the government is focused on transforming the Department of Posts into a fully-fledged logistics service provider. Department of Posts acknowledges the importance of strategic alliances in our journey toward modernization and growth as a logistics backbone. We remain committed to providing technology-driven, operations-focused logistics services capable of responding to the evolving needs of the e-commerce landscape.”

Amazon and India Post's partnership goes back to the early days of e-commerce in India when Amazon became the first company to work with the postal service to ship consumer electronics across the country. This pioneering collaboration kicked off in 2013 when Amazon shipped the country's first consumer electronics consignment via Speed Post, paving the way for India Post to build capabilities in handling such shipments. Over the years, this relationship has achieved several milestones - from Amazon becoming the only e-commerce company to serve Army-restricted locations through the Army Postal Service, to serving customers in remote locations such as Nubra Valley (Leh), South Garo hills (Meghalaya), Andaman Nicobar Islands etc. In 2016 and in 2023, India Post released commemorative ‘My Stamp’ postage stamps to celebrate its partnership with Amazon and Amazon's 3rd and 10th anniversaries in India. Today, this alliance enables unparalleled reach and helps Amazon serve customers in about 19,300 pin-codes and Army locations across about 165000 post offices. In fact, Amazon’s partnership with India Post now extends to cross-border trade too. In Q3 last year, the two signed an MoU to create an integrated cross-border logistics solution that will expand the e-commerce export opportunity to lakhs of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the country.