Amazon layoffs: How many employees lost jobs in India and what allegations are against tech giant?

Amazon has dismissed more than 500 employees in its India offices, part of a global restructuring affecting over 16,000 roles. Sources estimate the India impact between 500 and 700 staff, with tech and HR teams hit hardest. Software development engineers (SDEs) bore the brunt of the cuts.

The move is the latest in Amazon’s global effort to streamline operations and shift resources toward long-term priorities, including artificial intelligence (AI). Earlier rounds have already affected India, with up to 1,500 jobs cut last November.

Global restructuring and employee support

According to an internal note from Beth Galetti, senior vice president of people experience and technology at Amazon, the company aims to reduce bureaucratic layers, increase ownership, and simplify decision-making. The note outlined transition support for affected employees, including severance pay, outplacement services, and health insurance benefits, in line with local regulations. Amazon also stressed it would continue hiring in strategic areas and that large-scale cuts are not a routine practice.

Union alleges illegal retrenchment

The Union of Information Technology and Information Technology Enabled Services Employees (UNITE) has labelled the layoffs illegal and exploitative. The union claims Amazon is using the restructuring to maximise profits, replace staff with automation, and intensify workloads, harming both mental and physical health. UNITE emphasised that the layoffs are not due to a business crisis or economic downturn.

With over 1,20,000 employees across India, Amazon’s workforce faces repeated disruptions. UNITE noted that previous global cuts in October 2025 affected 14,000 staff, including 800–1,000 in India. Chennai, a key hub for Amazon’s corporate and technical operations, is expected to bear the immediate impact.

Calls for government intervention

UNITE has urged the Union and state governments to prevent mass illegal retrenchment, enforce Industrial Standing Orders for job security, and uphold constitutional protections. The union described the layoffs as a “violent act against the working class” that threatens livelihoods and communities.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy countered claims of profit-driven or AI-driven motives, framing the reductions as a measure to curb excessive bureaucracy. Yet the unfolding dispute highlights growing tension between global corporations and Indian labour groups over workforce rights.