NEW DELHI: Reliance Industries Ltd has launched an online grocery service, JioMart, challenging Amazon.com's local unit and Walmart Inc's Flipkart in the huge Indian market.

The chief executive of grocery retail at Reliance industry, Damodar Mall said that JioMart will deliver groceries in more than 200 towns across the country.

Big town or small, JioMart delivers in over 200 towns, starting today! Thank you, @ashsatlin . Our regards to your parents 🙏🏽 https://t.co/XtEbbF5bs1
— Damodar Mall (@SupermarketWala) May 23, 2020

Reliance launched a small pilot of JioMart deliveries in select areas of the Indian financial capital Mumbai late last month, days after announcing that Facebook Inc would spend $5.7 billion for 9.99 % stake in the company's digital unit, Jio Platforms.

That partnership will help Reliance roll out service for India's grocers and small businesses by capitalising on India's 400 million-strong user base for Facebook's WhatsApp messaging service.

According to reports, JioMart, the e-commerce venture of Reliance's retail arm, offers free express grocery delivery from neighbourhood grocery stores.

The launch comes as the whole country is facing the pandemic crisis and its effect on nation's economy.

"Never waste a crisis, they say!" Mall said in his tweet. "A wise colleague mentioned today, 'Alibaba also flourished starting from the SARS crisis.'"

Here are Damodar Mall's tweets:

Never waste a crisis, they say!
A wise colleague mentioned today, “Alibaba also flourished starting from the SARS crisis.”

Reliance launches JioMart service across cities; https://t.co/wrKLFTCDwV goes live.
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Try karke dekho ma....😊 https://t.co/3jCjE9oRHF
— Damodar Mall (@SupermarketWala) May 23, 2020

Nokha in Rajasthan;
Bodhan in Telangana;
Nagarcoil in Tamilnadu;
Tadepalligudam in Andhra;
Raygada, Odisha;
Darjeeling, Bengal.

Now on Grocery eComm map, with Fruits&Veggies, too. Next wave of democratisation of modernity. #JioMart
Try with your pincode https://t.co/wrKLFTCDwV
— Damodar Mall (@SupermarketWala) May 24, 2020

However, Reliance owner and India's richest man Mukesh Ambani did not comment anything on the launch.