Flipkart and Microsoft have today signed an agreement to adopt Azure as former’s exclusive public cloud platform. The collaboration was announced by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Flipkart Group CEO Binny Bansal at a recent news event held in Bangalore.
Under the association, Flipkart will foster Azure as its whole and sole public cloud platform.
While Flipkart will employ better solutions from Azure, for Microsoft, this coulf prove to be a big push in Indian startup ecosystem’s growing demand for cloud. The push could be all the more important, considering how MS has largely lagged behind the likes of Google, AWS, Digital Ocean among others, in positioning itself as a favoured brand for cloud solutions.
The integration of Azure and its related AI capabilities with Flipkart’s existing services and data assets will enable the marketplace to expedite its digital transformation in the e-commerce ecosystem. It will enable Flipkart to provide users with an enriched customer experience as well as fasten its operations. Commenting on the partnership, Satya Nadella, CEO at Microsoft said,
At Microsoft, we aim to empower every Indian and every Indian organization with technology and key to this is forging strategic partnerships with innovative companies like Flipkart.
The deal will also strengthen Flipkart’s computing infrastructure and aid in simplifying operations. Moreover, Azure will supplement the e-commerce giant’s data centers with its cloud technologies and analytics. The company further plans to scale up on AI (artificial intelligence, machine learning and analytics capabilities in Azure, such as Cortana Intelligence Suite and Power BI.
This, in turn, will complement Flipkart’s data for innovative merchandising, advertising, marketing and customer service. Shedding light on same, Binny Bansal, Group CEO and Co-Founder, Flipkart said,
Flipkart has always been committed to its vision of transforming commerce in India through technology. Given Microsoft’s strong reputation in cloud computing, coupled with scale and reliability, 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.
According to a recent report published by the Wall Street Journal, Azure contributed astonishing revenues of more than $2.7 billion for the year 2016. Microsoft’s recent focus on India will allow it to witness continued growth and expansion and will further scale up its business.
However, Microsoft had launched its local data centers offering Azure cloud services in September 2015 only, this marks one of the very first long-term partnerships for Azure in the country. Such associations will certainly grow in the future, especially because of the pace at which cloud computing is making way into every field.
