Despite the apparent snub from the Indian government on his recent three-day visit to the country, Amazon chief Jeff Bezos on Monday announced the launch of electric delivery rickshaws in India.
In a tweet on Monday morning announcing the launch of the new delivery vehicle in the country, Bezos wrote: “Hey, India. We’re rolling out our new fleet of electric delivery rickshaws. Fully electric. Zero carbon.” In an attached video with the tweet, the Bezos is seen driving the three-wheeler which comes in an all-black livery and sports the Amazon logo.
Hey, India. We’re rolling out our new fleet of electric delivery rickshaws. Fully electric. Zero carbon. #ClimatePledge pic.twitter.com/qFXdZOsY4y
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) January 20, 2020
Amazon is the second biggest online retailer in India, trailing behind Walmart-owned Flipkart.
Bezos concluded his three-day India trip last week. During his visit, Bezos announced a $1 billion investment over five years to digitise small businesses in the country. However, his gesture didn’t elicit the response he would have hoped for.
Union commerce minister Piyush Bansal disparaged Bezos’ investment. "They
Goyal later claimed to have been misinterpreted and clarified: "I was only saying that investment should come as per the rules and regulation," he told reporters in Ahmedabad. "We welcome all kinds of investment. However, the necessary legal process would follow if any investment is made outside the purview of law," he added.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vijay Chauthaiwale had also disparaged Bezos on Twitter for the Washington Post’s coverage of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Bezos owns Washington Post.
Mr @JeffBezos , please tell this to your employees in Washington DC. Otherwise your charm offensive is likely to be waste of time and money . https://t.co/L06kI0AqLn
— Dr Vijay Chauthaiwale (@vijai63) January 16, 2020
Further, reports suggest that Amazon’s bid to set up a meeting with Modi didn’t materialise, with the prime minister opting to give the cold shoulder to the world’s richest man.
Amazon is being blamed for employing unfair trade practices in the country that have hurt small traders. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), the body representing traders in the country, organised a countrywide protest against Bezos’ India trip.
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