India's 10-minute delivery model is under pressure

Delivery partners in the country are embarking on a great capitalist adventure.

- Andy Mukherjee

India's booming quick-commerce industry is on notice. In a New Year's Eve flash strike, more than 200,000 riders refused to ferry food, grocery and other orders nationwide.

While gig workers' demands for fair pay, safety and dignity can be addressed to some extent by the platforms that use their services, the union leading the protest also wants a more fundamental change: an end to 10-minute deliveries. That would be a showstopper.

Like everywhere else, the Indian consumer's fascination for everything to arrive in under half an hour began during the pandemic lockdowns - with daily essentials. But while the likes of Fridge No More, Buyk, Jokr and Getir died or faded away in the US once shopping habits normalised, the Indian industry just kept getting bigger by shortening delivery times and adding more items - from pillows to prescription drugs - to the list of things available for instant gratification.

Apps like Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart and Zepto have liberally poured money into so-called dark stores, strategically located warehouses dedicated to fulfilling online orders. Traditional retailers, led by tycoon Mukesh Ambani, and e-commerce heavyweights like Amazon and Walmart's Flipkart, were late to the party.

But now they are also investing feverishly. Real-estate broker Savills expects a threefold growth in dark stores by 2030 to 7,500 from 2,500 - as the craze for everything arriving in 10 minutes spills over into smaller Indian cities.