CHENNAI: Amazon India is set to lay off between 800 and 1,000 corporate employees as part of the tech giant’s global workforce reduction plan, according to reports. The move comes as Amazon undertakes a major restructuring drive aimed at streamlining operations and aligning teams with its evolving business priorities.
The Indian layoffs are expected to affect corporate and support functions rather than frontline roles in logistics or retail operations. Amazon India employs tens of thousands across technology, product, and corporate teams in cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Gurugram. Sources said the affected employees will receive full pay and benefits for a limited period, likely around 90 days, along with severance packages and the option to seek redeployment within the company.
The layoffs in India form part of Amazon’s broader plan to cut about 14,000 corporate roles globally, roughly 4 percent of its white-collar workforce. The cuts are being driven by efforts to improve efficiency, reduce managerial layers, and reallocate resources toward high-growth areas such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and devices.
A few retail sector analysts, who spoke to The New Indian Express on Wednesday view the move as a strategic shift rather than a pure cost-cutting exercise. Amazon, like many other global tech companies, expanded aggressively during the pandemic but is now recalibrating amid slower growth and changing business conditions. The company is also doubling down on automation and AI tools, which are reshaping workforce requirements.
For India’s technology and corporate job market, the layoffs could have ripple effects. Amazon has been one of the country’s largest tech employers, and a reduction in its corporate headcount could increase competition for roles in similar domains. However, experts believe the impact will be moderate, as demand for cloud and AI talent remains strong, and several startups and tech firms continue to hire experienced professionals released from large multinationals.
Globally, Amazon’s leadership has emphasized its intent to maintain agility and focus investments in future-facing areas. CEO Andy Jassy has reiterated that the restructuring aims to flatten hierarchies and accelerate innovation, particularly in web service, AI, and devices.
In India, the latest move signals a tighter operational approach even as Amazon continues to invest in retail, Prime Video, and logistics infrastructure. While short-term job losses may dent employee morale, the long-term focus appears to be on transforming the organisation to stay competitive in an increasingly AI-driven marketplace.
Amazon’s layoffs are not an isolated move but part of a wider trend in the tech industry — a shift from pandemic-era overexpansion to a more efficiency-driven phase. For employees, the episode underscores the growing importance of upskilling in AI, cloud, and automation to remain relevant in a fast-evolving job landscape.
