When we talk about India's economic progress, we usually focus on GDP numbers and infrastructure projects. But there's another metric that matters just as much: consumer confidence. An empowered, informed consumer is the foundation of a resilient digital economy. As India's marketplaces grow, trust becomes the currency that enables everyone to participate. National Consumer Day is a good time to look at how that trust is being built—and what comes next.
Government reforms have laid a strong foundation for consumer confidence. Policy measures such as reductions in GST have supported consumer buoyancy by making goods more affordable, enabling more predictable movement across the country, formalising supply chains, and strengthening product availability not only in major urban centres but also in smaller towns. At the same time, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs has steadily reinforced consumer protection through clearer guidelines, streamlined grievance redressal mechanisms, and initiatives that enhance transparency around pricing, product authenticity, and service standards. Together, these efforts have given consumers greater clarity, stronger safeguards, and a more active role in the marketplace.
Together, these measures have given consumers greater clarity, stronger safeguards, and a louder voice in the marketplace. However, reforms realise their full potential only when they are complemented by sustained collaboration between the public and private sectors. Given the scale and diversity of India’s consumer landscape, no single institution can address every challenge in isolation. Partnerships that align policy intent with technological capability and on-ground reach are therefore essential to translating frameworks into impact and building a more resilient ecosystem for both consumers and businesses.
Shared responsibility, real-world impact
At Amazon India, we believe that building consumer trust is a shared responsibility. Over the past three years, our Mission Grahaq initiative has reached more than 60 million people across the country, in multiple Indian languages—including eight from the Northeast. Through street plays, radio messages, and social media outreach, the campaign focused on simple, practical guidance for safe online shopping—guidance that is platform-agnostic, not just limited to Amazon.
We took this commitment further through #ScamSmartIndia, a collaborative initiative with the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C). Launched ahead of the Amazon Great Indian Festival 2025, we conducted 26 workshops for over 5,000 students across four cities, shared weekly multilingual awareness content as part of Scam-Free September, and created co-branded digital content that reached over 285 million views. By end of the year, we will also have distributed more than 5 million educational flyers in delivery packages.
We also partnered with the Department of Consumer Affairs to deliver a dedicated capacity-building programme for National Consumer Helpline (NCH) associates. Handling over 1.70 lakh consumer complaints each month from across India in more than 17 languages, the NCH is a critical pillar of the country’s consumer grievance redressal system. Through this targeted training, we were able to build on the NCH’s effectiveness and share Amazon’s best practices while also learning from them through on-ground experience. This collaboration underscores the value of public–private partnerships in upholding consumer rights at scale. These efforts demonstrate what is possible when government and private companies work together—delivering awareness at scale, in formats that are accessible, relatable, and culturally relevant.
Technology as an enabler of trust
Technology also plays a quiet but powerful role in protecting consumers. At Amazon, AI-driven systems help monitor unusual activity and detect potential fraud. Programs such as Project Zero and Amazon Transparency empower brands to prevent counterfeits at source, while giving customers the ability to verify product authenticity by scanning unique codes.
These tools are designed with a simple goal: to anticipate risks early, reduce friction, and give customers confidence at every step of their journey.
From customer service to customer care
As Government of India has emphasised, that the world must must move from customer service to customer care. A trusted marketplace is not just one that responds to issues quickly, but one that proactively designs systems around consumer well-being—prioritising clarity, accountability, and support.
India’s economic ambitions will be realised not only through capital and infrastructure, but through the confidence of consumers who feel informed, protected, and included. The journey to Viksit Bharat—a developed India—is strengthened by the steady growth of Viksit Grahaq: consumers who are empowered to participate fully and safely in India’s digital future.
