(Reuters) - Amazon.com ( AMZN ) named 25-year veteran Samir Kumar as its new India head on Wednesday, replacing Manish Tiwary who stepped down after an eight-year stint last month.

Kumar, who was part of the team that launched Amazon India in 2013, will take over from Tiwary on Oct. 1 in addition to his current role of heading Amazon's ( AMZN ) consumer businesses in the Middle East, South Africa and Turkey.

Amazon ( AMZN ) had previously said Tiwary had resigned to pursue an opportunity outside the company, without elaborating.

The change in leadership comes as Amazon ( AMZN ) is fast expanding in India where it plans to invest $26 billion by 2030, but also faces a strict regulatory environment that forces it to run only a marketplace.

"India remains an important priority for Amazon ( AMZN ), and I am super excited about the opportunity ahead," Amit Agarwal, senior vice president for emerging markets at Amazon ( AMZN ), said.