An Amazon blitz into Southeast Asia is expected with the US eCommerce giant covertly acquiring assets and planning to launch services in Singapore early next year.

This follows it pumping $3 billion into its India business and quietly introducing its Prime delivery service in China, reports TechCrunch.

Amazon does not yet offer local services in Southeast Asia, but has been buying such assets as refrigerated trucks as well as hiring people as part of an initiative led by its Asean head Steven Scrive.

Declining to comment, Amazon is said to be likely to initially offer Prime alongside its AmazonFresh grocery service in Singapore.

Amazon made an offer to acquire Singapore grocery delivery startup RedMart early this year, but this was rejected. Alibaba’s Southeast Asian subsidiary Lazada has whipped in meanwhile and just taken over RedMart. It has also invested in logistics company SingPost and payments company Ascend Money, and in India goes up against Amazon with PayTM, Flipkart and Snapdeal.