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Amazon To Double Down On Indian Investments

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AMAZON TO DOUBLE DOWN ON INDIAN INVESTMENTS,Startup Stories,Amazon Latest News,Amazon Reiterates Plans to Double Down on India Operations,Amazon to double investments in India scale up digital payments,Amazon to double investment in India, add UPI to Amazon Payments,Amazon India to double storage

Ecommerce giant Amazon plans to double down on its investments in India, according to the Amazon India Chief, Amit Agarwal. The future investments will be used to focus on key areas such as its digital payments platform Amazon Pay and the Prime membership program.

Despite homegrown ecommerce firm Flipkart claiming the top position at this year’s month long festive season sale, Agarwal believes this was their biggest season ever. “If we look at last Diwali, more than 70% of the customers repeated (purchases) many times during the year. In fact, one out of every five of them became Prime members. And this year, the number of transacting customers from last year was more than two times,” he added.

Last week, the company claimed to have grabbed a 44% share of the total customers and shopping volume, which was higher than any of its competitors. However, Flipkart disputed Amazon’s claim and maintained that it had been the undisputed leader during the festival season.

Amazon founder and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos made a commitment to invest close to $ 5 billion in the lucrative Indian market. While the Seattle based firm has already invested more than $ 2 billion to scale up its Indian business, Amazon recently pumped Rs. 260 crores in its online payments platform Amazon Pay service.

Meanwhile, many Indian startups, in an attempt to level the playing field, have voiced concerns over the aggressive spending of global giants like Amazon and Uber in local markets. To this end, several founders of homegrown companies have launched the lobby group, Indiatech.org, to rally the government to create policies that serve the interest of smaller Indian companies.

Speaking about the lobby group headed by Flipkart founder Sachin Bansal, Amit Agarwal said, “I am as much as an Indian as anyone else out there and Amazon India is as much an Indian company as other startups. Other startups are as foreign in their investment profile as any other company. So I really don’t understand this. But our focus is very much on serving customers and we are committed to the long term.

Speaking to a news daily, the Amazon India head also stated, “Capital coming (sic) in India, whether it’s VC capital or other companies bringing in that capital, is good for the country. It’s just building more infrastructure and solving so many more problems. So free flow of capital is good for the country.”

SoftBank, which is an aggressive investor in India, has fueled thousands of dollars into several Indian companies like Ola, Uber, Flipkart, OYO and Paytm. Recently, SoftBank along with other venture capital firms like Matrix Partners and Kalaari Capital also joined the lobby group to provide financial and strategic expertise to the member companies.  However, SoftBank’s move to join the lobby group has raised concerns as the venture capital firm is in talks with San Francisco based cab hailing startup, Uber, for a major investment. 

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Zoho Pay Debuts as India’s New UPI Challenger, Taking on PhonePe, Paytm, and Google Pay

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Zoho Payment

Zoho Corporation has expanded its fintech portfolio with the launch of Zoho Pay, a UPI-based payments app built to challenge India’s top digital payment giants such as PhonePe, Paytm, and Google Pay. The new app supports peer-to-peer transfers, bill payments, QR-based transactions, and merchant settlements in a streamlined interface. Available as both a standalone app and an integrated feature inside Zoho’s privacy-driven messenger Arattai, Zoho Pay enables users to handle chats and payments in one platform, emphasizing data privacy and Made-in-India innovation.​

Through seamless integration with Arattai, Zoho Pay allows users to send or request payments, split expenses, and conduct UPI-based transactions directly in their chat windows. Users can link bank accounts, scan dynamic QR codes, and receive audio confirmations of payments, ensuring speed and security. This design mirrors the simplicity of India’s leading UPI apps but is powered by Zoho’s non-advertising, privacy-first model. The integration aligns with Zoho’s mission to build a self-reliant digital ecosystem, where messaging and money management coexist securely.​

In the competitive digital payments market, Zoho Pay differentiates itself through its tight business software integration with apps like Zoho Books, Zoho Payroll, and Zoho Commerce, offering small businesses unified access to payments, billing, and accounting. The company is also expanding its reach with POS devices for merchants featuring UPI QR, card payments, and instant reconciliation tools. With founder Sridhar Vembu’s vision of a ‘Chat + Pay’ ecosystem, Zoho Pay reflects a bold step toward redefining India’s fintech scene with a secure, ad-free, and locally developed alternative to global payment platforms.

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Meta Expands AI-Powered Reels Translation to Hindi and Portuguese, Enhancing Global Creator Reach

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Meta has expanded its AI-powered translation feature for Reels to include Hindi and Portuguese, joining English and Spanish in empowering creators to reach a broader global audience on Instagram and Facebook. Originally launched in August 2025 with support for English and Spanish, this update now allows creators to seamlessly translate and dub their short videos, breaking language barriers across some of the largest Reels markets worldwide. The AI technology mimics the creator’s voice tone and even offers lip-syncing to ensure the translated videos feel natural and engaging for viewers.​

This enhancement is especially significant for India, the largest market for Facebook and Instagram, where over 600 million people speak Hindi. Content creators who are not fluent in Hindi can now easily access this vast audience, increasing their reach and engagement across diverse linguistic groups. To maintain transparency, all translated Reels are clearly labeled with “Translated with Meta AI,” and viewers can choose to switch translations on or off based on their preference.​

In addition to voice dubbing, Meta is developing features to translate captions and text stickers on Reels, making content more accessible even without sound. These AI translation tools are available free for eligible public Instagram accounts and Facebook creator profiles with over 1,000 followers. This innovation reinforces Meta’s commitment to fostering cross-cultural content sharing and enhancing creators’ ability to connect with audiences around the world through short-form videos.

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Dunzo’s Collapse: Reliance’s ₹1,645 Crore Loss Signals Challenges in India’s Hyperlocal Delivery Market

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Startup Stories

Reliance Industries has officially written off its $200 million investment in Dunzo, a once promising quick-commerce startup in India. Despite high-profile backing and the potential to disrupt the hyperlocal delivery sector, Dunzo faced insurmountable challenges including high operational costs, unsustainable cash burn, and stiff competition from larger players like Zepto and Blinkit. Reliance’s decision follows Dunzo’s operational suspension, leadership exits, and failed attempts at securing additional funding or acquisition partners, ultimately resulting in the company’s digital platforms going offline in early 2025.​

The downfall of Dunzo was accelerated by its inability to maintain a healthy balance between rapid expansion and revenue growth, with losses in FY23 reaching an alarming ₹1,800 crore. With monthly expenses crossing ₹100 crore and mounting pressure to scale, Dunzo resorted to layoffs and delayed payments before shutting down most services outside Bengaluru. Reliance’s significant stake, initially seen as a strategic advantage, ended up limiting the startup’s flexibility in making independent decisions during its final months.​

Reliance’s write-off sends a strong message to India’s startup ecosystem about the risks inherent in quick-commerce and hyperlocal delivery models. Investors are increasingly focused on sustainable growth, disciplined scaling, and profitability. For Reliance, lessons from Dunzo’s collapse are shaping future e-commerce strategies, driving greater emphasis on operational efficiency and prudent financial planning in an intensely competitive market.

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