💰 Amazon’s ₹2,000 Cr Delivery Blitz Is On

🌞 Happy Friday, Masala Crew!

As the week winds down, the news winds up. From Kuku FM’s spicy allegations to Amazon’s fresh ₹2,000 crore delivery boost, today’s brew is piping hot and extra detailed. Perfect for that second cup of chai.

☕ Chai Shots

• 🚚 Amazon to Pour ₹2,000 Cr Into India’s Delivery Backbone: Amazon is investing $233 million (over ₹2,000 crore) this year to beef up its fulfilment network in India. The plan includes faster delivery, new tech tools for drivers, and even scholarships and wellness programs for employees and contractors. It’s part of Amazon’s plan to reach every serviceable pin code in the country. More in the Big Brew!

• 🎙️ Kuku FM CEO Slams Pocket FM for ‘Dirty Tricks’: Kuku FM’s CEO publicly accused rival Pocket FM of running a paid smear campaign to harm its brand, just as Kuku begins talks with investors for new funding. The claim? That Pocket FM hired a social media agency to spread false PR and push fake Twitter trends. Pocket FM denied the allegations, but this audio streaming rivalry just turned up the volume.

• 📱 TikTok Gets More Time in the US, But Not a Free Pass: President Trump has extended the deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US operations to September 17. That’s the third extension so far, even though US law now requires TikTok to either sell or shut down. Trump’s move has triggered political backlash, especially from Democrats who question whether he can keep delaying the mandate.

• 🍸 Diageo Doubles Down on Indian Gin, Buys All of Nao Spirits: United Spirits (Diageo India) is buying out the remaining 70% of Nao Spirits—the company behind popular gin brands Greater Than and Hapusa—for ₹110 crore. Diageo sees India as a future hub for craft spirits, and this move helps it scale in a premium segment that’s gained serious traction in urban markets.

• 🇨🇭 Indian Money in Swiss Banks Triples—But Not from Individuals: New data shows Indian-linked funds in Swiss banks rose sharply in 2024 to ₹37,600 crore, up 3x from last year. But don’t jump to conclusions—most of the growth came from institutional channels, not individuals. Direct Indian customer deposits rose just 11%, and Swiss authorities say these funds shouldn’t be assumed to be "black money."

📈 Market Masala

• 📉 Sensex, Nifty Hold Ground But Broader Market Cracks: The benchmark indices stayed largely flat—Nifty ended just below 24,800 and Sensex slipped 83 points. But underneath the surface, midcap and smallcap stocks took a beating, each down nearly 2%. With the US Fed signaling fewer rate cuts and geopolitical tensions sending oil above $80, investors are playing it safe and booking profits.

• ⚖️ Paytm Files to Settle ₹611 Cr FEMA Violation: Paytm’s parent, One97 Communications, has asked the RBI to let it settle a foreign exchange case by paying a monetary penalty—rather than battling it out in court. The violation involves transactions linked to former subsidiaries Nearbuy and Little Internet.

• 🔁 Sensex Rejig: BEL & Trent In, Nestlé & IndusInd Out: Starting June 24, Bharat Electronics and Trent will join the Sensex 30 index, replacing Nestlé India and IndusInd Bank. BEL may see fund inflows of up to ₹3,073 crore, while Trent could get ₹3,040 crore. Meanwhile, the exits could trigger big outflows, especially for Nestlé, which may lose nearly ₹1,900 crore in index-driven trades.

• 📈 HDB Financial’s ₹12,500 Cr IPO Opens June 25: HDFC Bank’s NBFC arm, HDB Financial, is hitting the market with the largest IPO of the year so far. The offer includes ₹10,000 Cr via stake sale by HDFC Bank and ₹2,500 Cr in fresh shares. With a strong presence in small-ticket lending, the firm aims to raise growth capital and diversify its shareholder base.

• 🚫 India Adds Anti-Dumping Duties to Shield Local Players: The Indian government has imposed five-year anti-dumping duties on aluminium foil, herbicide Pretilachlor, and chemical Acetonitrile imported from China, Taiwan, and Russia. These items were being sold in India at unfairly low prices, hurting domestic producers. The move aims to level the playing field for local manufacturers.

🌍 Global Masala

• 🛠️ Nippon Steel FINALLY Buys US Steel for $14.9B..With Strings Attached: After 18 months of political drama, Japan’s Nippon Steel has finally acquired US Steel. But to seal the deal, the US government will hold a special “golden share” that gives it power to veto key decisions—like plant closures or moving jobs abroad. President Trump even gets to appoint a board member under the agreement.

• 💥 Middle East Conflict, Oil & Rate Drama Hit Europe: European markets closed lower as war worries between Israel and Iran spooked investors. The Stoxx 600 index fell 0.8%, led by a 2.4% drop in travel stocks. Crude oil rose, boosting energy shares. Meanwhile, central banks in the UK, Norway, and Switzerland each took different paths, adding to the market unease.

• 🛑 Wall Street Took the Day Off for Juneteenth: US stock and bond markets were closed on Thursday for the Juneteenth holiday. The lull in trading may lead to some volatility as global markets reopen fully on Friday.

🧠 The Big Brew 📦 Amazon’s ₹2,000 Cr India Play Is a Logistics Power Move

Amazon is going all-in on India with a massive ₹2,000 crore push to strengthen its delivery muscle, tech stack, and employee care systems. Here's how it's playing out:

• 🚚 Nationwide infra upgrade: Amazon will launch new fulfilment, sortation, and delivery hubs, and modernise old ones—meaning faster order processing, more accurate deliveries, and better coverage across India's remotest pin codes.

• 📦 Speed + reliability = Amazon 2.0: The investment aims to drastically cut delivery time and improve service consistency, crucial as Flipkart, Meesho, and quick commerce rivals like Zepto and Blinkit turn up the heat.

• 📲 Tech boost for delivery partners: New tools are coming—apps that map smarter delivery routes, break down earnings, encourage helmet use, and make shift planning more transparent. The goal? Make life easier for the folks bringing your packages.

• 🧘‍♂️ Well-being, the Amazon way: From rest stops for all gig drivers (Amazon or not) to financial literacy, scholarships for associates’ children, and healthcare for truckers—Amazon is expanding its people-first programs, including a free health check-up drive for over 80,000 delivery partners this year.

📈 The bigger picture: With India’s e-commerce market expected to cross $325 billion by 2030, Amazon isn’t just keeping pace—it’s setting the tone. And with rivals like Flipkart heading for IPOs, this investment is both a defence and an attack.

🧐 What does this mean?
Your orders may arrive faster—but more importantly, the people delivering them might finally get the tools, breaks, and benefits they deserve. It’s not just about boxes; it’s about the backbone of India’s digital economy.

🧁 Startup Scoop

• 📋 OnePlus India’s Finances Raise Eyebrows: Auditors flagged OnePlus India for compliance issues, including using foreign-hosted software and delayed provident fund contributions. With its accounting system hosted on OPPO servers abroad and no audit trail controls in place, OnePlus may face scrutiny from ED and tax authorities.

• 🥘 ZOFF Foods Expands Into Ready-to-Cook With Reliance Retail: Known for its spices, ZOFF is entering the ₹5,000 crore ready-to-cook space. Partnering with Reliance Retail, it plans to launch its products in 400+ stores and on e-commerce platforms to serve India’s growing appetite for convenient home-cooked meals.

• 🎬 Creative Agency 'One Hand Clap' Gets Backed by Nikhil Kamath: Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath has invested in the ad agency run by AIB alums. The shop is best known for its MS Dhoni–meets–Animal parody campaign for Emotorad. With clients like Netflix and Swiggy, and now capital in the bank, the agency is gearing up for the big leagues.

🧠 Chai Break Trivia

🌍 Did you know? You actually weigh less at the equator than at the North Pole! ⚖️🌎

Because Earth spins like a top, it bulges at the middle—so you're slightly farther from the planet’s center at the equator. Plus, the spin gives you a tiny outward push. Together, that means you could weigh up to half a kilo less in Chennai than in Chandigarh! 🌀📉

🔮 What’s Brewing Next?

• 📊 June 24: Trent and BEL officially join the Sensex 30 index.

• 📝 June 25–27: HDB Financial Services IPO open for bids.

👋 That’s a wrap!

As you head into the weekend, take a moment to unplug, breathe, and maybe try a new gin (Greater Than, anyone?). We’ll be back to spill more chai on business, tech, and global affairs—with all the masala, minus the fluff.

Take care and stay sharp 🔥