Amazon launches Hindi-language version of its website and app

The new Hindi localization of its website and app is available in India, reports Reuters. The new site is an aggressive move to gain leverage over India’s other e-tailers including Flipkart, Snapdeal, and Paytm Mall–none of which offer a Hindi-language website.

Announcing the new localizations, Manish Tiwary, VP of category management at Amazon India, said, “What we believe is, Amazon.in in Hindi is a critical step to actually address the next 100 million customers.”

In total, over half a billion people, or 53% of the population, speak Hindi in India, according to data compiled by Wikipedia. That trounces the number of people there who speak English, which is only around 125 million, or 12% of the population. As Reuters points out, “the move to launch a Hindi app and website could give Amazon access to tens of millions of new customers in India’s small towns and villages.”