Microsoft and Flipkart, India’s leading marketplace, announced a
strategic partnership to provide consumers in India with the best online
shopping service.
As a first step in the broad collaboration between the two companies, Flipkart
will adopt Microsoft Azure as its exclusive public cloud platform. Microsoft
CEO Satya Nadella and Flipkart Group CEO Binny Bansal announced the news today
at an event in Bangalore.
“At
Microsoft, we aim to empower every Indian and every Indian organization with
technology and key to this is forging strategic partnerships with innovative
companies like Flipkart,” said Satya
Nadella, CEO, Microsoft. “Combining Microsoft’s cloud platform and AI
capabilities with Flipkart’s existing services and data assets, will enable Flipkart
to accelerate its digital transformation in e-commerce and deliver new customer
experiences.”
“Flipkart
has always been committed to its vision of transforming commerce in India
through technology. Given Microsoft’s strong reputation in cloud computing,
coupled with scale and reliability, this partnership allows us to leverage our
combined strength and knowledge of technology, e-commerce and markets to make
online shopping more relevant and enriching for customers,” said Binny Bansal, Group CEO and
Co-Founder, Flipkart.
Launched in 2007, Flipkart has amassed unparalleled scale in India through customer-centric
innovations that have made online shopping a seamless, accessible and
affordable experience for over 100 million Indians. Its innovative disruptions
like cash on delivery, No cost EMI, Product Exchange, easy returns, same day
delivery and instant refunds have paved the way for the e-commerce market in
India.
Starting with computing infrastructure, Microsoft Azure will ultimately add a layer of
advanced cloud technologies and analytics to Flipkart’s existing data centres.
Microsoft’s strong presence in India along with its global scale allows for
continued growth and expansion, setting the stage for the long-term
partnership.
Flipkart plans to leverage artificial intelligence, machine learning and
analytics capabilities in Azure, such as Cortana Intelligence Suite and Power
BI, to optimize its data for innovative merchandising, advertising, marketing
and customer service. With powerful insights about its business and new,
intelligent services, Flipkart can deliver increasingly relevant and personalized
experiences to its customers.
