New Delhi, Dec. 3 -- Indian startups are burning cash to speed up growth. That's nothing new-startups have always spent heavily to build markets and acquire customers. But this time, they are going further. According to a Mint report, instead of using mergers and acquisitions to enter new geographies or acquire technology, the current playbook often involves buying other companies simply to scale faster.

The report cited logistics services provider Delhivery's acquisition of SpotOn Logistics, CarTrade's purchase of Shriram Automall, Zomato's takeover of Uber Eats India, and online travel portal Ixigo's buys of Abhibus and Confirmtkt, all helping them "expand market share, build scale, and enter adjacent or complementary segments."

The i...