Microsoft, Flipkart announce cloud e-commerce partnership
- Flipkart will adopt Microsoft Azure as its public cloud computing platform.
- Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Flipkart group CEO Binny Bansal announced the partnership.
- Speculations over Microsoft investing in Flipkart are rife.
FollowMicrosoft has announced a "strategic partnership" with Flipkart under which the online retailer will adopt Microsoft Azure as its exclusive public cloud platform. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Flipkart Group CEO Binny Bansal announced the partnership at an event in Bengaluru.
The strategic partnership is aimed at providing consumers the best online shopping service. "We are launching our strategic partnership together. I have always been an admirer of what Flipkart has done in not only starting e-commerce, but also in payments and logistics. It is really getting India on the map. I'm pleased to announce that Flipkart has chosen Microsoft Azure as its exclusive public cloud platform," Nadella said.
"Of course, this is just a start because ultimately for us it is all about being able to support entrepreneurs of India to be able to create global scale businesses, and when we think about our mission that's at the centre of it," he said.
Nadella also said that 2000 new startups have adopted the Microsoft cloud in the past one year. These startups are driving innovation in areas such as - Big Data, Internet of Things, Analytics and cognitive services. He also added how they are deploying Microsoft’s bot framework to build chat bots.
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, the IT giant said.
"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," Bansal said.
According to LiveMint report, a person familiar with the matter said that Microsoft could buy a stake in the company. However, Microsoft and Flipkart reportedly refused to comment.
With inputs from PTI
