Why Amazon is feuding with a partner and Billionaire Mukesh Ambani.
                     WHY AMAZON IS FEUDING 
WITH A PARTNER AND 
BILLIONAIRE MUKESH AMBANI
INTRODUCTION
• A legal spat between Amazon.com Inc. and its Indian partner that 
started before an arbitrator in Singapore just got fiercer in a court in 
New Delhi.
Source: livemint.com
DISPUTE OVER A DEAL
• The US e-commerce giant and Future Group, whose assets billionaire 
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd. recently agreed to buy for 
$3.4 billion, are locked in a dispute over that deal. 
Source: deccanherald.com
ACCUSATION ON FUTURE GROUP
• The Jeff Bezos-led e-tailer has accused Future and its founder Kishore Biyani of flouting disclosure 
rules.
• Amazon has also written to the Competition Commission of India asking it not to approve the 
takeover until arbitration proceedings are complete.
Source: livemint.com
What led to the feud?
• Amazon had bought 49% in one of Future’s unlisted firms last year, with the right to buy into the 
listed flagship Future Retail Ltd. after a few years. 
• The U.S. firm claims that its contract with the unlisted Future unit barred a transaction with a number 
of persons and companies, including Ambani and Reliance.
Source: deccanherald.com
What’s the fight really about?
• The fight is essentially for the dominance of India’s estimated $1 trillion consumer retail market. 
• Future Group is caught in the middle of this tussle between companies helmed by two of the world’s 
richest men.
Source: deccanherald.com
Blocking Reliance 
• Blocking Reliance is crucial for Amazon if it wants to hold sway over the only billion-people plus 
consumer market still open to foreign firms. 
• It has pledged to invest $6.5 billion, a sign of its commitment to the Indian market.
Source: deccanherald.com
What did the Singapore arbitration 
•cAofteur arcctus insg Fautuyre? of breaching its contract, Amazon secured emergency relief from an arbitration 
court in Singapore on Oct. 25 that temporarily restrained Future Group from going ahead with the 
asset sale.
Source: deccanherald.com
INTERIM RULING 
• Future and Reliance maintain that the Singapore court’s interim ruling is not binding, but Amazon 
wrote to local regulators flagging it as a binding order. 
• Reliance has said it intends to buy Future’s assets without any delay. Future Group said that the 
matter will have to be tested under Indian laws.
Source: deccanherald.com
Who is representing the parties?
• More than 50 lawyers represented the companies, Biyani and his family in the Indian court in the first 
two days of the hearing. 
• Some of the legal hotshots include India’s former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, two former 
solicitor generals Harish Salve and Gopal Subramanium as well as former additional solicitor general 
and politician, Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
Source: livemint.com
Who’s hanging by the thread awaiting a 
verdict?
• Future Retail and the group at large, since their survival depends on it. The group defaulted on 
obligations earlier this year. 
• Future Retail has posted massive losses for two straight quarters and its shares have plunged 80% 
this year. 
Source: livemint.com