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Amazon Kendra MCP Server: Setup for Claude, Cursor and Other Apps

Official · by Amazon Web ServicesLocal
GetPyPIawslabs.amazon-kendra-index-mcp-serverawslabs/mcp/tree/HEAD/src/amazon-kendra-index-mcp-server
Tools
2
2 read · 0 change
Works in
12
apps
Risk
Low
read only
Auth
token in env

Lets your AI assistant search an Amazon Kendra index and use your own documents as context for its answers.

This is an AWS Labs server that runs on your computer. It uses your own AWS credentials to list your Kendra indexes and search one of them. Claude, Cursor and other assistants can then use the matching passages as context.

You need an AWS account and a Kendra index that already holds your documents. The README says the server cannot create, modify or delete anything in your account, and it needs only two Kendra permissions.

Good for

  • Teams that keep company documents in Amazon Kendra and want answers from them inside Claude or Cursor
  • Developers who want a coding assistant to look up internal docs in Kendra
  • AWS users who want a search-only connection that cannot change their index

Works in

12 should work

Tap an app to see how to set it up and any known problems.

Install amazon-kendra-index-mcp-server

Claude Code

  1. 1

    Copy this prompt.

    Add the amazon-kendra-index-mcp-server server to Claude Code. Run this command:

claude mcp add amazon-kendra-index -- uvx awslabs.amazon-kendra-index-mcp-server

Then check that it loaded and tell me if I need to sign in or restart.
  2. 2

    Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Requires uv (Python).

Built from the package data we hold. Not yet tested by us.

Tools

  • Searches a Kendra index for passages that answer your question

    Sends your question to a Kendra index and returns the matching documents with titles, links and excerpts. It uses the default index from your setup unless you name another one.

    Try: “Use the test-kendra-index to help answer how our refund policy handles partial returns.”

    Network · KendraQueryTool

  • Lists the Kendra indexes in your AWS account

    Lists each index with its ID, name, status and edition. It checks the region from your setup unless you name another region.

    Try: “List the Kendra indexes in my account in the us-west-2 region.”

    Network · KendraListIndexesTool

Read from the source code

Permissions

low risk · 2 things to watch

Low risk

The assistant can read whatever your Kendra index returns, and the README says the server cannot create, change or delete anything. Give it an AWS user with only the Query and ListIndices permissions.

What it can do

  • Read your data
  • Create and change things
  • Delete things
  • Read-only mode

Watch out for

  • Search results can include private document text

    Each result returns an excerpt of the document, which goes to the assistant and its provider. Point it only at an index you are happy to share with that assistant. github.com

  • The managed full-access policy is broader than needed

    The README offers AmazonKendraFullAccess as an option. Use a policy with only Query and ListIndices instead. github.com

Security advisories

No published security advisories as of Nov 1, 2026.

Technical details
Turning on read-onlyNot needed: both tools only read. Give the AWS user only the two Kendra permissions the README lists.
Talks toAmazon Kendra in your AWS region
Sign-in and keysUses your AWS credentials from an AWS profile (aws configure) or environment variables. The server keeps no separate account.
Scopes

  • kendra:Query

  • kendra:ListIndices

Questions

What do I need before I install it?

An AWS account, an Amazon Kendra index that already has your documents, AWS credentials set up with aws configure, and uv installed. The install box has the command.

Can it change or delete my Kendra index?

No. The README says it cannot create, modify or delete resources, and its two tools only list indexes and run searches. It needs only the Query and ListIndices permissions.

Do I have to set an index ID?

No. Set the default index once in your setup, or name the index in your prompt. If neither is given, a search returns an error saying the index ID is not set.

Which AWS permissions does it need?

At minimum kendra:Query and kendra:ListIndices. The README also mentions the AmazonKendraFullAccess managed policy, but advises least privilege.

Can I run it with Docker?

Only after you build the image yourself, as the README shows, and you must pass in AWS credentials that you keep refreshed. The command in the install box is simpler.

Which AI apps does it work with?

Any app that can start a local server. The README names Kiro, Cline, Cursor and Windsurf, and the install box covers more.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Publisher
Amazon Web Services (official)
Package
awslabs.amazon-kendra-index-mcp-server
Registry
PyPI
Transport
stdio
Auth
token in env
License
Apache-2.0
Last commit
Oct 30, 2026
Open issues
143
Listed in
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Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from. Issues, quotes and findings above link to their own source.

Show all 2
  1. Amazon Kendra Index MCP Server README · github.com
  2. Kendra server source · github.com

Facts from the official MCP registry, GitHub, npm, PyPI and the Docker catalog. Updated Nov 2, 2026.