Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

After Amazon, Flipkart plans liquor delivery in India with Diageo-backed startup

WALMART'S e-commerce platform Flipkart has partnered with a startup backed by spirits giant Diageo to deliver alcohol in two Indian states, say reports, months after Amazon planned a similar foray.

Flipkart and Amazon's interest in delivering alcohol in India marks a bold move to make inroads into an alcohol market that is worth about £21 billion, according to estimates by IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.


In June, Amazon had secured clearance to deliver alcohol in West Bengal, signalling the US e-commerce giant's foray into the sector.

Now, the governments of West Bengal and Odisha have said that Flipkart can be associated as a technology service provider of Diageo-backed HipBar, an Indian alcohol home delivery mobile application.

Flipkart's customers will be allowed to access HipBar's application on the e-commerce giant's platforms, according to the letters, which have not previously been reported.

Under the arrangement, Flipkart customers will be able to place orders for their favourite tipple, which HipBar will then deliver after collecting products from retail outlets, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.

HipBar, 26 per cent owned by Diageo India, and Flipkart did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"Flipkart wants to make sure that whatever consumers want, they get it. The margins (on liquor deliveries) maybe low, but for Flipkart it is about stickiness so consumer don't have to anywhere else," said a source close to Flipkart.

West Bengal is India's fourth most populous state, with a population of more than 90 million people, while Odisha's population is more than 41 million. Some states in India, like Gujarat in the west, prohibit alcohol retail.

India's top two food-delivery startups, Swiggy and Zomato, have also started delivering alcohol in some cities, as companies look to cash in on the high demand for booze from people staying at home due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Amazon on Friday also said it will launch an online pharmacy in India that will serve the southern city of Bengaluru.

Shoppers in India are increasingly going online to buy everything from groceries to electronics during the pandemic.

More For You

UK-Bahrain-deal-Getty

Prime minister Keir Starmer with Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain ahead of bilateral talks at 10 Downing Street on June 19, 2025 in London. (Photo: Getty Images)

UK-Bahrain £2bn Investment Deal: All you need to know

THE UK and Bahrain have signed a £2 billion investment and collaboration partnership aimed at supporting key sectors of the UK economy, including financial services, technology, manufacturing, and clean energy.

The Strategic Investment and Collaboration Partnership (SIP), announced on June 19, doubles the £1 bn investment committed in 2023.

Keep ReadingShow less
Octopus Energy Unveils Smart Home EV Charger to Slash Charging Costs

It follows a broader strategy by Octopus Energy to offer home energy hardware

Getty Images

Octopus Energy unveils first smart home EV charger to cut charging costs

Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest electricity supplier, has launched its first home electric vehicle (EV) charger, named Octopus Charge. The charger is designed to integrate with the company’s smart energy system to enable cost-effective and environmentally friendly charging.

Smart charging through Kraken platform

The new Octopus Charge device connects to the energy supplier’s proprietary Kraken platform, which automatically adjusts charging to coincide with times when electricity is cheapest and greenest. This enables EV owners to take advantage of lower rates and reduce their carbon footprint.

Keep ReadingShow less
Record-breaking data breach

The data is spread across 30 different datasets

iStock

Record-breaking data breach exposes 16 billion credentials, raising global cybersecurity concerns

A massive new cybersecurity report has revealed what experts are calling the largest data breach in history, involving over 16 billion login credentials. The records, uncovered by researchers at Cybernews, appear to come from a variety of sources and have raised alarm bells across the tech and cybersecurity industries.

Unprecedented scale of exposure

The data is spread across 30 different datasets, with individual troves containing between tens of millions and more than 3.5 billion credentials each. In total, the exposed records add up to 16 billion, a staggering number that equates to more than two credentials for every person on Earth.

Keep ReadingShow less
leaders discussed the new Defence Cooperation Accord between the UK and Bahrain,

The leaders discussed the new Defence Cooperation Accord between the UK and Bahrain, aimed at deepening joint military training and naval ties.

Crown Prince of Bahrain's website

UK and Bahrain strengthen defence and investment ties

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer met Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, prime minister of Bahrain, at Downing Street on Thursday.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the leaders discussed the UK-Bahrain relationship and welcomed the UK becoming a full member of the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA), a trilateral pact with Bahrain and the United States focused on regional security.

Keep ReadingShow less
Swiss banks

Funds held in customer accounts by Indian clients rose by 11 per cent in the year to 346 million Swiss francs (£3.14m) and accounted for about one-tenth of overall funds.

iStock

Indian funds in Swiss banks triple to £3.1bn in 2024

INDIAN money in Swiss banks more than trebled in 2024 to 3.5 billion Swiss francs (£3.1bn), attributed to a rise in funds held through local branches and other financial institutions, annual data released by Switzerland's central bank showed on Thursday (19).

However, funds held in customer accounts by Indian clients rose by 11 per cent in the year to 346 million Swiss francs (£3.14m) and accounted for about one-tenth of overall funds, the report showed.

Keep ReadingShow less