Amazon begins work on biggest campus outside US in Hyderabad

Global e-commerce giant Amazon on Wednesday commenced work on its biggest campus in India in Hyderabad, which will be its largest facility outside the US.

The campus, coming up on nearly 10 acres of land in financial district Gachibowli, is part of $2 billion investment announced by the company in India.

The new state-of-the-art three million square feet campus is expected to be ready in 2019 and would house thousands of employees managing backend operations for Amazon's various global business and technology teams.

Telangana's IT minister K.T. Rama Rao laid the foundation for the facility in the presence of David Zapolsky, Amazon's senior vice president and general counsel legal.

Zapolsky said the facility would employ "many thousand" employees but declined to share the investment figure.

This marks Amazon's second significant investment in the state in one year. Last year, it had announced the launch of one of its biggest fulfilment centres in the country near Hyderabad.

"Telangana has been home to our IT operations since 2005-06 and our presence in the state has grown multifold since then. With a pool of quality talent, state-of-the art infrastructure and a progressive government, the state was a natural choice for us to set up our largest campus in India here," said Zapolsky.

"We are very excited with the growth momentum that we have been witnessing for our India business. For Amazon, India continues to be one of our highest priority investments and we plan to invest with a long-term focus," he added.

The global online retailer began the work on the facility, a day after India opened the sector for 100 percent foreign equity, though with riders.

Replying to a query, Zapolsky said he can't comment on the statement which came last. "Our India team is looking at it," he said.

He also declined to comment on whether Amazon will go down on the discounts which it offers and whether it will restructure the business in India in view of the new norms.

Amazon established its backend operations in Hyderabad in 2005-06. Today, thousands of Amazonians work in Hyderabad lending backend support to not just the India business but several business and technology teams across the world, he said.

Zapolsky noted that a 280,000 square feet Fulfilment Centre that opened near Hyderabad last year was helping small and medium businesses in Telangana.

K.T. Rama Rao said the state government was also working with Amazon in building online marketplaces to promote local artisans.

The minister said the government had streamlined most of regulatory processes and procedures for the sector and was looking forward for stronger partnership with Amazon and other players.