Amazon Partners With Indian Government to Promote State Content

Amazon.com is partnering with India’s federal authorities to stream films and TV exhibits from state-run studios in addition to present internships to college students from authorities movie institutes in a key marketplace for the US e-commerce large.

India’s broadcasting ministry and Amazon signed an settlement on Wednesday, the corporate stated in a press release, including that the transfer “strengthens our dedication to globally promote and showcase India’s inventive expertise and tales by our a number of providers.” Amazon’s India unit may even introduce a particular characteristic to advertise books and journals from the ministry’s publication arm.

India is a key progress marketplace for Amazon and its Prime Video streaming service, however it’s additionally a rustic the place the agency has confronted antitrust challenges, authorized battles for hurting spiritual sentiments in its TV exhibits and allegations of undercutting mom-and-pop shops. The tie up comes earlier than nationwide elections subsequent yr the place Prime Minister Narendra Modi will in all probability search a 3rd time period.

The partnership with a authorities ministry is a uncommon transfer for the Seattle, Washington-headquartered firm. Final yr, it dedicated to spend EUR 10 million (practically Rs. 90 crore) over three years because it introduced a collaboration with the UK’s Nationwide Movie & Tv Faculty to present college students profession alternatives in company-commissioned productions.

Regardless of the excessive quantity of films produced annually, primarily by the Hindi-language business based mostly in Mumbai — Indian movies have not but managed to earn the sort of world crossover attraction South Korean content material has, with award-winning titles comparable to Parasite or Netflix‘s Squid Game. Netflix final yr signed a pact with India’s authorities to create coaching applications for post-production and animation, Deccan Herald newspaper reported.

“The partnership with Amazon India is exclusive on quite a lot of counts,” Anurag Thakur, India’s Minister for Data & Broadcasting, stated within the assertion. The partnership would offer scholarships, internships and masterclasses for college students “and assist to scale back the interval of battle for the gifted artists,” he added.

© 2023 Bloomberg LP