Amazon layoffs: How Many Employees Will Be Affected in India?

A day after global layoffs at Amazon made headlines, it has now emerged that between 800 and 1,000 roles in India could be affected.

Contrary to reports suggesting that 30,000 layoffs are in the pipeline, an internal memo shared by Beth Galetti, Senior Vice President of People Experience and Technology, revealed that Amazon plans to cut around 14,000 corporate roles as part of its global restructuring.

The decision comes a year after CEO Andy Jassy emphasized the need to reduce organizational layers, drive ownership, and improve efficiency to help Amazon “operate like the world’s largest startup.”

The layoffs form a crucial part of Jassy’s broader efficiency drive, even as the company invests over $100 billion in AI infrastructure this year — a steep rise from $83 billion in 2024.

In her memo, Galetti wrote: “The reductions we’re sharing today are a continuation of this work to get even stronger by further reducing bureaucracy, removing layers, and shifting resources to ensure we’re investing in our biggest bets and what matters most to our customers’ current and future needs.”

Addressing questions on the rationale for cuts despite Amazon’s strong performance, she noted that the company continues to deliver excellent customer experiences, innovate rapidly, and produce strong results. However, she cautioned that “the world is changing quickly.”

“This generation of AI is the most transformative technology we’ve seen since the internet, enabling companies to innovate faster than ever before — in both existing and entirely new markets,” she added.

Galetti underscored that Amazon is “convinced” it must operate more leanly — with fewer layers and greater ownership — to stay agile for customers and business needs.

The company has pledged comprehensive support for those impacted, offering most affected employees 90 days to find a new role internally. Recruiting teams will prioritize internal candidates to help retain as many employees as possible.

“For our teammates unable to find a new role or who choose not to pursue one, we’ll provide transition support including severance pay, outplacement services, health insurance, and more,” the memo stated.

Galetti added that Amazon will continue hiring for key strategic areas while identifying opportunities to “remove layers, increase ownership, and drive further efficiency gains.”