Global technology giant Amazon is preparing for yet another round of job cuts, with India expected to feel a significant ripple effect. According to sources familiar with the matter, around 500–700 employees in India are likely to be impacted as part of Amazon’s latest global layoffs, which will see nearly 16,000 roles eliminated worldwide. This follows a major workforce reduction in October last year, when the company laid off around 14,000 employees, signaling that Amazon’s cost-cutting drive is far from over.
While Amazon has not officially confirmed the India numbers, internal communications suggest that teams across Amazon Web Services (AWS) and retail operations will bear the brunt of the cuts.
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Credits: Business Standard
India Teams Under Pressure as Performance Comes Under Review
One of the key reasons behind the India impact appears to be performance-related, particularly in the company’s core ecommerce business. A source close to the matter said that Amazon India’s recent sales events over the last two to three quarters failed to deliver the expected market outcomes, putting pressure on margins and operational efficiency.
India has long been seen as a high-potential but challenging market for Amazon, with intense competition from Flipkart, Meesho, and quick commerce players. While the company has continued to invest in logistics and seller services, slower-than-expected returns have forced leadership to re-evaluate team sizes, especially in non-core and support functions.
AWS Also Feels the Heat Amid Global Slowdown
The impact is not limited to ecommerce alone. AWS, Amazon’s most profitable division, is also expected to see job cuts in India. Globally, cloud spending has slowed as enterprises optimise costs, delay large contracts, and focus on efficiency rather than expansion. This shift has reduced the need for aggressive hiring across cloud sales, solutions architecture, and support roles.
India hosts a large AWS workforce supporting global clients, making it an inevitable part of Amazon’s restructuring efforts. The layoffs reflect a broader trend across Big Tech, where companies are increasingly prioritising profitability over growth-at-all-costs.
What Amazon Said: “This Is Not Our Plan Going Forward”
In an internal email shared with employees, Beth Galetti, Senior Vice President of People Experience and Technology at Amazon, confirmed the layoffs but emphasised that the company does not plan to make job cuts a routine exercise.
“The reductions we are making today will impact approximately 16,000 roles across Amazon, and we’re again working hard to support everyone whose role is impacted,” Galetti wrote. She added that every team would continue to evaluate its ownership, speed, and ability to invent for customers in a rapidly changing world.
Notably, the email sent to Amazon India employees did not explicitly mention the scale of layoffs in the country, leaving many teams uncertain about the final numbers and timelines.
India: A Strategic Talent Hub, But Not Immune
Over the past decade, India has emerged as one of Amazon’s most important global talent hubs, housing thousands of engineers, product managers, operations specialists, and support staff who serve both domestic and international markets. Cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Gurugram play a critical role in Amazon’s global technology and operations roadmap.
However, being a strategic hub no longer guarantees immunity from global restructuring. As Amazon tightens budgets and focuses on core priorities, even high-performing markets are being forced to justify costs and headcount.
Layoffs Continue to Reshape Global Tech
Amazon’s latest job cuts are part of a much wider trend sweeping through the technology sector. According to data from Layoffs.fyi, 269 companies globally laid off 123,941 employees in 2025 alone, highlighting how deeply the slowdown has impacted the industry.
Rising interest rates, cautious enterprise spending, and pressure from investors to improve profitability have forced tech giants to rethink their workforce strategies. For employees, this has meant ongoing uncertainty—even at companies once considered the safest places to build long-term careers.
Credits: The Wall Street Journal
What Lies Ahead for Amazon India
For Amazon India, the coming months will likely be focused on streamlining operations, improving sales efficiency, and doubling down on high-impact teams. While layoffs are painful, the company appears determined to emerge leaner and more focused as it navigates a slower global economy.
