Amazon Layoffs: 16,000 Employees to be Laid Off Globally, India Hit Hardest

Amazon is set to lay off 16,000 employees tomorrow, with job cuts starting January 27. It's rumored that India will see the highest number of layoffs this time.

Amazon layoffs in 2026: The big job cut shock

Amid wars, US policy impacts, and economic slowdown, job cuts are a big shock. Many firms are already downsizing, and now it's Amazon's turn.

Amazon is preparing for another large round of job cuts this week, as part of a broader effort to reshape its corporate structure.

16,000 job cuts on January 27

Reports suggest the company plans to announce fresh layoffs on January 27, which could affect around 16,000 employees worldwide. This step is said to be part of a longer restructuring plan that may see nearly 30,000 corporate roles cut by mid-2026.

Unlike earlier rounds, this phase is expected to have a wider global impact, with India-based teams likely to face a sharper blow. Employees working in corporate and support roles are understood to be more exposed than frontline or operations staff.

Most cuts in India

This round of Amazon layoffs is expected to hit India the hardest. As cuts begin in India, it will impact not just jobs but the market too.

If the current plans go ahead, the total number of job losses could exceed the 27,000 layoffs Amazon carried out between 2022 and 2023, marking one of the company’s largest workforce reductions to date. While Amazon employs roughly 1.57 million people globally, the cuts are focused mainly on its corporate workforce of about 350,000 employees, rather than warehouse or delivery staff.

Which departments are most affected

Job cuts will happen in divisions like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Amazon Prime. Amazon's layoffs began in 2025, with 14,000 employees already let go.

The next round of job cuts at Amazon is expected to hit several important parts of the company. Teams across AWS, Prime Video, retail operations, and the People Experience and Technology (PXT) division, which handles Amazon’s internal HR work, are likely to be impacted.

Sources say corporate teams in India could face the biggest impact this time. Offices in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai are seen as especially vulnerable, as Amazon looks to reduce management layers and support roles rather than frontline product teams.

30,000 job cuts by end of 2026

By the end of 2026, Amazon will have cut 30,000 jobs. This includes the 14,000 already laid off and the upcoming 16,000. Amazon has announced a restructure.

Several employees at Amazon have claimed that managers and senior leaders already hinted at upcoming cuts during internal discussions. According to multiple reports and discussions among employees on platforms such as Blind and Reddit, staff currently on performance improvement plans (PIPs) could be informed before the wider workforce.

27,000 job cuts in 2022-23

As the market recovered from COVID, Amazon cut 27,000 jobs in 2022-23. The company has 1.57 million employees globally, with 350,000 in corporate roles.

There are also indications that advance notices may already be in progress. Earlier reports said that between 1,000 and 2,000 employees may have received WARN notices, which are required under US law ahead of large-scale layoffs. However, Amazon has not officially confirmed the timing, scale, or details of the planned job cuts so far.

Why Amazon layoffs focus on culture, not short-term savings

Amazon says its recent layoffs are aimed at fixing deeper structural issues rather than cutting costs. CEO Andy Jassy has said the job cuts are not driven by finances or artificial intelligence, but by the need to reduce bureaucracy.

The company believes too many management layers slowed decisions and innovation. At the same time, Amazon is using AI to automate internal work, leading to fewer administrative and support roles.