Amazon is facing legal scrutiny in India over alleged violations of labor laws at its warehouse near Delhi.
The Gurugram court in Haryana has issued a summons to Amazon following an investigation by the labor department earlier this year. The inquiry was prompted by reports of unsafe working conditions and unreasonable targets at the facility.
According to the inspection report, which was accessed under the Right to Information Act, workers at the warehouse lacked employment identity cards, and female employees did not have safety-compliant clothing. These issues are especially concerning given the presence of moving machinery at the site.
A specific incident in May drew attention to the warehouse’s conditions when a manager reportedly instructed employees to pledge not to take breaks—including for water or restroom use—until they met their daily targets.
Amazon has described the incident as “isolated” and stated that the manager involved faced disciplinary action. The company added that it had not yet received the inspection report and declined to comment further due to the ongoing legal proceedings.
The Manesar warehouse, which employs over 1,800 associates—Amazon’s term for warehouse workers—is part of the company’s network of more than 60 fulfillment centers across India. These facilities help Amazon deliver products to various regions, including the national capital area. Warehouse associates play a crucial role in processing and preparing online orders for delivery. Some are responsible for receiving, checking, and sorting products, while others pick, pack, and ship customer orders or relocate products within the warehouse and load trucks.
Amazon employs 1.5 million people globally, including over 100,000 in India, spanning a wide range of roles from blue-collar workers in packaging and delivery to executives in sales, marketing, and AI specialists working on Amazon Web Services (AWS).
In recent years, Amazon’s treatment of workers has come under increased scrutiny, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States, with critics focusing on working conditions and labor practices in its warehouses. Workers in the Manesar facility have independently reported high targets and limited rest periods, suggesting a demanding and difficult work environment.
