The world’s largest online retail company Amazon.com discussed issues related to the relaxation of foreign direct investment (FDI) policy with the Indian Government on Tuesday.

“We talked about it (relaxation of FDI guidelines). We discussed all aspects in the context of finding a better way to serve Indian customers, both sellers and buyers,” said Paul Misener, Global Vice-President, Amazon, after his meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma.

The new FDI policy in retail announced by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion in September last year came as a rude shock for the US-based online retailer of books and electronics as it continued to bar foreign investments in e-commerce.

India allows 100 per cent FDI in single-brand retail stores and 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail, subject to sourcing conditions. Some Government officials, who do not wish to be named, have said policy makers were also examining the possibility of allowing FDI in e-commerce.

Amazon has opened three technical offices in Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad that work on building software and applications that support Amazon Web sites across the world.

“The Government of India has been very kind to Amazon.com and we continue to grow here. We have nearly nine thousand employees in the country, and again we are looking for ways to better serve our customers,” Misener told presspersons.

Amazon.com had launched Junglee.com — an on-line shopping service — in India last year that enabled buyers to compare various products and their prices as listed on other e-commerce Web sites in India.

amiti.sen@thehindu.co.in

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