The Supreme Court upheld a Delhi High Court order restraining Flipkart from using its “MarQ” electronics brand, ruling the mark is substantially similar to Marc Enterprises’ “Marc” trademark in pronunciation and overall commercial impression. The Court warned the use of such close marks would cause confusion, and refused to interfere with interim orders. Flipkart has eight weeks to dispose of remaining inventory. The dispute spans products sold online since 2017, with Marc’s trademark use dating back to 1981.
Flipkart has put its IPO plans on indefinite hold as market volatility and a crowded listing pipeline squeeze investor appetite. The pause comes after Walmart CEO John Furner visited India and follows other Walmart-linked delays, including PhonePe’s IPO postponement. Flipkart had aimed to file draft papers in late 2026 or early 2027 after NCLT approval to move its domicile back to India. Meanwhile, it is scaling quick commerce “Minutes” with nearly 100 stores a month, even as heavy investment pushes profitability further out.
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On 15 May 2026, India’s startup scene saw fresh capital across mobility, consumer brands, and healthtech. Rapido raised $240 million in a primary round led by Prosus, valuing the ride-hailing firm at $3 billion, as part of a larger $730 million transaction. Consumer toy brand Legend of Toys bagged ₹21 crore in a pre-Series A. D2C sweetener brand The Sweet Change raised ₹70 lakh. Meanwhile, Flipkart deferred its IPO to 2028, and Innovaccer cut 340 jobs during an AI shift.
Walmart-owned Flipkart has indefinitely paused its IPO plans, citing heightened market volatility, a crowded slate of upcoming listings, and weak investor appetite for a still-loss-making company. The move follows PhonePe’s $1.3 billion IPO postponement and comes as geopolitical shocks are blamed for further market jitters. Instead, Flipkart is pouring resources into quick commerce via Flipkart Minutes, expanding by nearly 100 stores a month since March and targeting 1,100–1,200 stores by July 2026.
Flipkart has reportedly deferred its IPO plans to at least next year, with Walmart—the retailer holding 80%—pushing the company to prioritize EBITDA breakeven in FY27. Walmart is said to have asked Flipkart to pause fundraising, putting its planned $2–2.5 billion pre-IPO round on hold. The move also raises questions about Flipkart Minutes, its quick commerce arm, which is capital- and cash-burn heavy amid fierce competition. Flipkart’s internal restructuring and cost efforts have not yet convinced Walmart.
Flipkart’s attempt to escape GST on delivery charges via a goods transport agency structure has been rejected by the West Bengal Appellate Authority for Advance Ruling. The WBAAAR said the model was contractual “legal fiction” rather than a real transport transaction, putting the doorstep delivery flow squarely under 18% GST. The decision could reshape tax strategies for ecommerce and quick commerce.
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Flipkart’s attempt to avoid GST on delivery charges by positioning itself as a Goods Transport Agency has been rejected by the West Bengal Appellate Authority. The panel ruled that Flipkart’s structure was a “legal fiction” rather than a genuine GTA service, citing its highly organized logistics setup, which the authority said did not qualify for the proposed GST treatment.
Walmart CEO John Furner met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss India’s growth and investment opportunities. The retailer said it has sourced $40 billion worth of goods from India and is expanding digital commerce and payments. The broader push includes plans tied to Flipkart and PhonePe’s potential public listings, signaling Walmart’s intent to deepen its footprint in the market.
Walmart CEO John Furner sounded bullish about India’s quick commerce prospects during a Flipkart townhall, pointing to Flipkart’s aggressive push for its 10 minute grocery service ‘Minutes’. The expansion is designed to challenge incumbents like Blinkit and Zepto. Furner also reiterated Walmart’s plan to scale manufacturing and exports from India, positioning the country as a key global supply-chain hub.
A Flipkart-Counterpoint study finds AI features now heavily influence smartphone buying in India, with nearly 89% of users saying they care about AI capabilities. Buyers are increasingly guided by user experience rather than raw specs, treating AI as a baseline even in mid-range models. Affordability remains decisive, and many choose EMI while design and color sway decisions too.
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Flipkart has named Sharayu Jadhav as Vice President of Legal and Varun Gupta as Vice President of Corporate Development. Jadhav returns to the company bringing deep legal experience, while Gupta joins from Reliance to add corporate development expertise. Flipkart says the moves bolster its leadership team ahead of its IPO, following other recent senior hires.
Flipkart, in partnership with Axis Bank and PayU, has launched biometric authentication for Axis card payments using Face ID or fingerprint on Android and iOS devices. The move replaces SMS OTP checks, aiming to speed approvals and reduce failed attempts and fraud risks like SIM-swap, using device binding and issuer-side biometric verification.
Flipkart has promoted senior executives across key verticals as it prepares for an IPO that could happen next year. Group CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy said the company is strengthening leadership for “Flipkart 2.0” and scalable execution. The reshuffle includes roles spanning appliances, Cleartrip travel, enterprise systems, and public policy, while Flipkart also eyes movie and live ticketing.
Flipkart’s quick commerce unit Minutes has promoted Kunal Gupta from Vice President to Senior Vice President, according to an internal note seen by ET. The change comes as Flipkart intensifies its push to win faster delivery habits, potentially aligning leadership focus with execution ahead of its IPO plans. The move underscores how quickly competition is shaping internal structure.
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Cleartrip, part of the Flipkart group, has appointed Pallavi Saxena as its Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer. She will lead marketing strategy, growth planning, and insights, aiming to tightly connect brand building, customer engagement, and commercial performance. Coming from a decade at Flipkart—most recently leading marketing, revenue and customer growth for lifestyle—Saxena is set to strengthen Cleartrip’s travel brand and scalability.
After a strong first two days of festive sales on Amazon and Flipkart, discounts began tapering well before the sale period ended. With promo costs reduced by some platforms, sellers followed suit, and the initial momentum stalled. Even as brands and sellers reportedly overachieved targets, reduced discounting caused sales to cool earlier than expected.
Flipkart is reportedly considering a standalone app for its quick commerce arm, Flipkart Minutes, potentially launching before this year’s Big Billion Days sale. A pilot could roll out by July, with a full launch targeted before year-end. Minutes has already scaled to 800 dark stores and is racing toward 1,200, amid heavy competition and Flipkart’s pre-IPO funding plans.
With India emerging from pandemic disruption and festive demand building, major e-commerce players like Flipkart are joining forces with multiple brands for annual mega discount days. The campaign aims to pull forward purchases through coordinated promotions, turning the shopping season into a crowded battleground for deals across categories. Expect heavy marketing and aggressive pricing as rivals race to capture spend.
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Flipkart is preparing a dedicated, standalone app for its quick commerce service, Flipkart Minutes, aiming to strengthen visibility and brand recall beyond the main marketplace. The company plans a pilot launch soon and expects broader rollout before the year ends. The move mirrors competitive tactics seen from players like Swiggy, underscoring a rush to own the quick-delivery user journey.
Walmart-owned Flipkart is reportedly gearing up to enter India’s movie and concert ticketing market with a planned May launch, targeting fast-growing demand for live events. The initiative pits Flipkart against incumbents like BookMyShow and Zomato’s District. The company is also piloting food delivery, suggesting a broader expansion into fiercely competitive, lower-margin categories.
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