E-commerce giant Flipkart on Friday announced that it has signed a partnership with the Department of Posts for efficient last-mile parcel delivery.
Department of Posts announces collaboration with Flipkart
According to an official statement, the collaboration aims to utilise the delivery network of the Department of Posts along with Flipkart's strong presence in India's e-commerce sector to provide efficient, reliable, and customer-centric parcel delivery solutions across the country.
The statement said, "The Department of Posts (DoP), Ministry of Communications, and Flipkart India Private Limited have signed an agreement for last-mile parcel delivery services. Under the agreement, the Department of Posts will provide last-mile delivery services for Flipkart shipments across India."
It added, "The agreement focuses on faster deliveries, improved operational coordination, and seamless technology integration for efficient parcel movement and delivery. The collaboration is expected to further strengthen the logistics infrastructure supporting India's rapidly growing e-commerce sector."
Flipkart to use India Post's network for parcel delivery
With this agreement, the e-commerce giant, which already has a vast presence across the country, will use India Post's extensive network for parcel delivery services across urban, semi-urban, and rural areas, including remote and underserved regions.
The services will include the delivery of prepaid and cash-on-delivery parcels, OTP-based delivery authentication, and real-time shipment tracking.
Walmart Inc President lauds Flipkart's 13-minute delivery
Earlier today, Walmart Inc President and CEO John Furner lauded the e-commerce giant for its 13-minute delivery service, calling it "really impressive." He also praised the rapid pace of innovation and delivery execution by its Indian unit, in which it owns a controlling stake.
In a Q1 FY2027 earnings call, Furner said, "The speed at which people are delivering, innovating, and delivering products is impressive. Having deliveries in international markets, and Flipkart in particular, at 13 minutes is really impressive."
Furner added, "In India, Flipkart now operates more than 800 micro-fulfilment centres used for fast delivery, something we call Flipkart Minutes, and they are delivering items in less than 13 minutes on average."
The e-commerce giant was also featured in Walmart’s earnings commentary as the big-box retailer highlighted the platform’s rapid delivery expansion in India. Walmart highlighted Flipkart's role in driving advertising momentum and improving profitability during the quarter.
In 2018, Walmart acquired a 77 per cent controlling stake in the Indian e-commerce giant for $16 billion. Its shareholding now stands at over 80 per cent.
Walmart follows a fiscal year cycle from February 1 to January 31.
Flipkart continues with aggressive expansion push
According to media reports, the company’s focus on achieving profitability comes at a time when Flipkart is rapidly expanding Flipkart Minutes amid growing competition in India’s quick commerce space. As part of its expansion plans, the company aims to scale up to 1,200 dark stores in the near future.
Launched in August 2024, Flipkart Minutes competes with several players in the segment, including Eternal’s Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, Amazon Now, Zepto, Reliance Retail’s JioMart, and BigBasket.
Apart from quick commerce, Flipkart is reportedly looking to diversify into additional business segments such as a dedicated food delivery platform, as well as movie and live event ticketing services. The company is likely to begin testing its food delivery service in Bengaluru around June, followed by a broader rollout by late 2026 or early next year.
(with PTI inputs)
