E-commerce platform Meesho, preparing for its IPO, is facing a legal dispute with Amazon Web Services India Private Limited (AWS). The updated draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) filed with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) shows AWS has claimed non-payment of dues.
According to Meesho’s DRHP, Amazon Web Services (AWS) India has started arbitration in New Delhi. AWS claims Meesho has not paid bills under a special pricing agreement from February 25, 2022, totaling ₹127.45 crore ($14.44 million).
The amount claimed by AWS includes spend commitment shortfall payments, pending service fees, interest, and arbitration costs. Meesho’s DRHP highlights the legal proceedings, showing the financial and operational impact that this claim could have on the company’s IPO preparations.
Meesho has disputed the AWS bills, saying the services were not up to standard. The company questioned the rules on minimum commitments and AWS’s online terms. Meesho is also seeking ₹86.49 crore as compensation for business disruptions and related expenses.
Meesho’s claim covers losses due to inadequate AWS support, disruption of business operations, and salary costs from migration away from AWS services. The company is pursuing interest and arbitration costs as part of its compensation request.
The DRHP states that Meesho relies heavily on cloud service providers and other third-party vendors, such as call centres and contractors. Any failure by these providers to deliver services on time could materially affect the company’s operations and business continuity.
Meesho plans to raise money by selling fresh shares worth ₹4,250 crore and through an offer for sale (OFS) of 17.5 crore shares by promoters and investors. The Economic Times reports the total IPO could be ₹5,800–6,600 crore.
Meesho plans to use the money from fresh share sales to invest in cloud infrastructure, pay salaries for its Machine Learning, AI, and tech teams, fund marketing and brand activities, support acquisitions and other growth plans, and cover general corporate expenses.
The company’s total loss before exceptional items and taxes decreased to ₹108 crore in the year ending March 30, 2025, reported Mint, down from a ₹315 crore loss the previous year.
