E-commerce delivery disrupted in parts of north and west India amid India-Pakistan tensions

An executive at a large e-commerce company told Moneycontrol that their company is reassessing deliveries to certain pin codes, especially in the states of Punjab and Gujarat.

E-commerce deliveries in Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Gujarat and nearby regions have been disrupted as escalating tensions between India and Pakistan have restricted mobility in certain regions, industry stakeholders told Moneycontrol.

“Recent developments near the international border have resulted in movement restrictions affecting several districts Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, and the Chandigarh Tri-City,” Delhivery, a large logistics company that is especially dominant in the north of India, said in a social media post on May 9.

“The safety and well-being of our employees and their families in these regions remain a top priority as we actively monitor the situation. As a result, Delhivery’s services in these areas may experience temporary disruptions, including delays and changes in delivery schedules. We are adjusting operations as needed to manage these challenges,” the post added.

The advisory comes after Pakistan made fresh attempts to strike Indian military sites with drones and missiles in Jammu and Pathankot on the night of May 8. After this many states announced the closure of schools, blackouts in border districts, and cancellation of leave of police personnel and administration officials.

The stringent measures were taken in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat, West Bengal and Bihar in wake of Pakistan's failed attempts to attack cities in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan. The Indian air defence system intercepted and blocked at least eight missiles and several drones launched by Islamabad, as per media reports.

An executive at a large e-commerce company told Moneycontrol that their company is reassessing deliveries to certain pin codes, especially in the states of Punjab and Gujarat. “Several of our delivery staffers didn’t come in today because they’re either scared to be stepping out or have gone back to their hometowns to stay with their families,” the executive said.

Fewer delivery personnel means that e-commerce companies will now categorise couriers and only “deliver in pin codes that are fully safe to service,” the executive said. All other parcels will be prioritised and kept back in the warehouses which will result in a delay in shipments, as per the executive.

To be sure, not all regions in the aforementioned states are affected. Only certain areas that are vulnerable have seen some impact. Furthermore, these delays are largely because e-commerce companies are exercising caution and stakeholders expect a return to normalcy within the next few hours.

While some e-commerce firms and logistics companies saw some disruption, there are a few which are working business as usual.

“Things are okay. We are ensuring safety by working with the local governments…but availability of delivery partners and other on-ground staffers is strong,” an executive at another large e-commerce firm told Moneycontrol.

None of the companies wished to be named because the matter is sensitive and the situation is still evolving.

A third executive, working at a different e-commerce company, told Moneycontrol they have witnessed a small spike in essentials in the states of Punjab, Gujarat and Rajasthan but “nothing that is worrisome.”

“Our on-ground team has seen that a lot of the people, from older generations, have resorted to hoarding essentials but these are largely from kirana stores. The younger cohort is still not thinking that way, they’re using quick commerce the usual way because there has been no disruption on that front yet.

Moneycontrol scanned different quick commerce and food delivery apps and confirmed that services were live and it was business as usual for most in multiple areas of Punjab, Jammu and Chandigarh.