Flipkart's supply chain arm Ekart opens logistics network to external brands

Ekart, the supply chain arm of the Flipkart Group, on Tuesday announced the opening of its pan-India logistics network to external businesses, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies.

The expansion is being driven through a new franchise model and scaled, dedicated warehousing capabilities, the company said in a statement.

Under the new franchise model, Ekart has operationalised over 300 outlets across Surat, Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru. The company plans to expand this network to more than 1,000 outlets by the end of 2026, allowing small businesses to route shipments through its national network without needing to build their own logistics infrastructure.

Additionally, external brands can now utilise over 1 million square feet of Ekart's dedicated warehousing space for end-to-end fulfilment. The logistics provider is adding further capacity across Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai to reduce delivery turnaround times by positioning inventory closer to end customers.

Businesses will also gain access to Ekart's technology stack, which includes real-time shipment tracking and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered address resolution. The company is also deploying AI for demand forecasting to help brands optimise inventory placement.

"Over the past few years, thousands of retail, MSME, D2C and global brands have trusted Ekart's logistics network and technology to reliably scale their businesses across India. Building on that experience, we are now expanding access to our network through our franchise model and dedicated end-to-end fulfilment capabilities," said Mani Bhushan, Chief Business Officer at Ekart.

Established in 2009, Ekart operates over Grade-A warehouses across over 20 locations and deploys more than 14,000 trucks daily, delivering across 15,000-plus pincodes nationwide.