Jio AI Stack: Building India’s AI Backbone

At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Reliance Jio Chairman Akash Ambani unveiled the Jio AI Stack, positioning it as a comprehensive framework to democratize artificial intelligence across healthcare, education, culture, and smart living. The stack is designed to integrate seamlessly with India’s expanding 5G infrastructure, enabling AI at scale.

Core Technical Components

Shri Akash Ambani, Chairman, Jio, showcases Jio's AI Stack and AI-led use cases across healthcare, education, culture, and wearable solutions to honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at Jio AI Pavilion during the India AI Impact Summit 2026.#JioAtAISummit… pic.twitter.com/Kf4HFgSrHf

— Reliance Jio (@reliancejio) February 16, 2026

1. AI Cloud Infrastructure

• Jio AI Cloud provides scalable compute and storage for training and deploying large language models (LLMs).
• Optimized for Indian languages, ensuring inclusivity in AI adoption.
• Built on intent-driven architectures and Open Digital Architecture (ODA) principles, allowing modular integration for enterprises.

2. Edge Computing Layer

• AI workloads are distributed across edge nodes connected to Jio’s nationwide 5G network.
• Enables low-latency applications such as healthcare diagnostics and smart home automation.
• Supports real-time inference for consumer devices like JioFrames (smart glasses) and JioPC.

3. Data & Model Services

• Pre-trained domain-specific models for healthcare (Jio Arogya AI), education (Jio Shiksha), and cultural preservation (Jio Sanskriti AI).
• Integrated data pipelines for secure ingestion, annotation, and training.
• Focus on responsible AI with bias detection and explainability features.

4. Developer & Enterprise APIs

• Open APIs for startups and enterprises to build custom AI solutions.
• Supports intent-based networking, allowing businesses to automate workflows through natural language commands.

5. Consumer Integration Layer

• AI embedded into everyday devices:
• Jio AI Home for smart living.
• JioFrames for augmented reality experiences.
• AI-powered PCs for productivity.
• Designed to make AI ubiquitous in daily life, not just enterprise settings.

Strategic Significance

• National AI Infrastructure: Jio is positioning itself as India’s AI backbone, leveraging its telecom dominance to deliver AI at scale.
• Societal Alignment: By focusing on healthcare, education, and culture, Jio aligns AI adoption with India’s social priorities.
• Global Ambition: With leaders from 20 countries and 600 startups present at the summit, Jio is signaling its intent to be a global AI player.

Jio 5G Users Aged 18–25 Get Free Access to Google Gemini AI Pro Plan

Reliance Jio has partnered with Google to offer eligible users 18 months of free access to the Gemini 2.5 Pro AI plan—worth ₹35,100—starting October 30, 2025. This offer is currently available to Jio 5G users aged 18–25 on unlimited plans.

What’s Included in the Gemini AI Pro Plan

• Gemini 2.5 Pro model: Google's flagship AI with enhanced reasoning and multimodal capabilities.
• AI image and video generation: Create visuals by describing ideas—ideal for students, creators, and developers.
• NotebookLM: AI-powered research and writing assistant with 5× higher usage limits.
• 2 TB Google Cloud storage: For photos, documents, and collaborative work.
• AI integration in Google Workspace: Use Gemini directly inside Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and more.
• AI image editing tools: Transform photos into creative assets using Gemini’s latest image update.

Who’s Eligible and How to Claim

• Eligibility: Jio 5G users aged 18–25 subscribed to Unlimited 5G plans.
• Claim Process:
  • Open the MyJio app.
  • Look for the Google Gemini Offer banner.
  • Follow the steps to activate your free 18-month subscription.

Strategic Impact

• Follows similar AI democratization efforts like ChatGPT Go being offered free in India from November 4, 2025.
• Airtel previously partnered with Perplexity AI for a one-year free access plan.
• Google Cloud is also partnering with Reliance Intelligence to expand enterprise AI adoption across India.

Why It Matters

This partnership is a major step in making premium AI tools accessible to India’s youth and 5G user base. It blends Reliance’s massive reach with Google’s cutting-edge AI, potentially reshaping how millions engage with productivity, creativity, and research tools.

Reliance Jio Surpasses China Mobile To Become World's Largest Mobile Operator in Data Traffic

Reliance Jio has surpassed China Mobile to become the world's largest mobile operator in terms of data traffic. According to the global analytics firm Tefficient, Jio's network registered a total traffic of 40.9 exabytes in the first quarter of this year, which is higher than China Mobile's 38 exabytes. This is a significant milestone for the Indian telecom operator, showcasing its massive scale and reach in the data consumption landscape.

Reliance Jio's ascent to becoming the world's largest mobile operator in data traffic is attributed to several strategic initiatives and the primary one is Affordable Data Plan. Jio revolutionized the Indian telecom market by launching affordable data plans, making internet access more accessible to the masses.

With a strong subscriber base of 481.8 million, Jio has a vast pool of data users contributing to the traffic.

Jio leads the 5G transformation in India with over 108 million True 5G customers, significantly contributing to the data traffic. The company has been at the forefront of technological innovations, including the replacement of 2G with more advanced networks.

The annual data traffic has dramatically increased by 2.4 times since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with monthly per capita data usage skyrocketing to 28.7 GB.

Jio has also become the first Indian company to cross the ₹100,000-crore threshold in pre-tax profits, indicating its financial success and market dominance.

These factors, combined with Jio's continuous efforts to enhance digital connectivity and infrastructure, have played a crucial role in achieving this milestone.

As of February 2024, Reliance Jio has surpassed a significant milestone by achieving over 40% market share in India 1. This positions Jio as the leading mobile telecom provider in the country, reflecting its substantial influence and presence in the Indian telecommunications sector.

Qualcomm Ventures Invests ₹ 730 Crore in Jio Platforms for 0.15% Equity Stake

Reliance Industries Limited (“Reliance Industries”) and Jio Platforms Limited (“Jio Platforms”), announced yesterday that Qualcomm Ventures, the investment arm of Qualcomm Incorporated, an industry leader in wireless technologies, has committed to invest upto ₹ 730 crore in Jio Platforms at an equity value of ₹ 4.91 lakh crore and an enterprise value of ₹ 5.16 lakh crore. Qualcomm Ventures’ investment will translate into 0.15% equity stake in Jio Platforms on a fully diluted basis. The investment will deepen the ties between Qualcomm and Jio Platforms, to support Jio Platforms on its journey to rollout advanced 5G infrastructure and services for Indian customers.

Jio Platforms, a majority-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries, is a next-generation technology platform focused on providing high-quality and affordable digital services across India, with more than 388 million subscribers. Jio Platforms has made significant investments across its digital ecosystem, powered by leading technologies spanning broadband connectivity, smart devices, cloud and edge computing, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, augmented and mixed reality and blockchain. Jio’s vision is to enable a Digital India for 1.3 billion people and businesses across the country, including small merchants, micro-businesses and farmers so that all of them can enjoy the fruits of inclusive growth.

Qualcomm is the world’s leading wireless technology innovator and the driving force behind the development, launch and expansion of 5G. With more than $62 billion in cumulative research and development spend, 35 years of innovation and over 140,000 patents and patent applications, Qualcomm is committed to fueling innovation and fostering Indian technology advancement. Qualcomm Ventures is a global fund that invests in pioneering companies across the wireless ecosystem in areas like 5G, AI, IoT, automotive, networking and enterprise. In India, Qualcomm Ventures has invested in companies that address key domestic issues from Dairy, Transportation to Defense, and build world class products for India and the world market.

Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries said, “Today, I am delighted to welcome Qualcomm Ventures as an investor in Jio Platforms. Qualcomm has been a valued partner for several years and we have a shared vision of connecting everything by building a robust and secure wireless and digital network and extending the benefits of digital connectivity to everyone in India. As a world leader in wireless technologies, Qualcomm offers deep technology knowhow and insights that will help us deliver on our 5G vision and the digital transformation of India for both people and enterprises.”

Steve Mollenkopf, CEO of Qualcomm Incorporated, said, “With our shared goal of extending the benefits of digital connectivity to everyone and everything, we anticipate Jio Platforms will deliver a new set of services and experiences to Indian consumers. With unmatched speeds and emerging use cases, 5G is expected to transform every industry in the coming years. Jio Platforms has led the digital revolution in India through its extensive digital and technological capabilities. As an enabler and investor with a longstanding presence in India, we look forward to playing a role in Jio's vision to further revolutionize India’s digital economy.”

The transaction is subject to customary conditions precedent.

Morgan Stanley acted as financial advisor to Reliance Industries and AZB & Partners and Davis Polk & Wardwell acted as legal counsels. Trilegal acted as legal counsel for Qualcomm Ventures.

Intel Invests ₹ 1,895 Cr for 0.39% Stake in Jio Platforms

Silicon Valley based American technology giant Intel, through its Venture Capital arm, Intel Capital, is investing ₹ 1,894.50 Crore in Reliance Industries' Jio Platforms for a 0.39% stake in the company. Post this deal, Jio Platforms will have an enterprise valuation of ₹ 5.16 Lakh Crore.

With this deal, Jio Platforms becomes the only company with the largest continuous fund-raise in the world, to date. In last 11 weeks, Intel deal will be 12th investment in Jio Platforms.

So far, Jio Platforms has raised ₹ 117,588.45 crore from leading technology investors including Facebook, Silver Lake Partners (two investments), Vista Equity Partners, General Atlantic, KKR, Mubadala, ADIA, TPG, L Catterton, PIF and Intel.

Late last month, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund PIF had invested ₹11,367 crore in Jio, for a 2.32% stake.

Mr. Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, said, "We are extremely delighted to deepen our ties with technology leaders that embody our vision of transforming India into a leading Digital Society in the world. Intel is a true industry leader, working towards creating world-changing technology and innovations. Intel Capital has an outstanding record of being a valuable partner for leading technology companies globally. We are therefore excited to work together with Intel to advance India's capabilities in cutting-edge technologies that will empower all sectors of our economy and improve the quality of life of 1.3 billion Indians."

Mr. Wendell Brooks, Intel Capital President, said, "Jio Platforms' focus on applying its impressive engineering capabilities to bring the power of low-cost digital services to India aligns with Intel's purpose of delivering breakthrough technology that enriches lives. We believe digital access and data can transform business and society for the better. Through this investment, we are excited to help fuel digital transformation in India, where Intel maintains an important presence."

Reliance Sells 2.32% Stake in Jio Platforms worth $1.49 Bn to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF)

Reliance Industries Ltd on Thursday said it has sold a 2.32 per cent stake in its digital unit to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) for Rs 11,367 crore (~ US$1.49 Billion), taking the cumulative fund raising to about Rs 1.16 lakh crore in two months.

Starting with Facebook Inc on April 22, Reliance has sold almost 25 per cent of equity in Jio Platforms - the maximum reports suggest the company intends to dilute to financial investors.

The investment by Saudi sovereign wealth fund is "at an equity value of Rs 4.91 lakh crore and an enterprise value of Rs 5.16 lakh crore", the company said in a statement.

With this investment, Jio Platforms has raised Rs 115,693.95 crore from some of the leading global investment powerhouses at a time when the world is deeply impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in a recession kind of environment for the global economy.

"With the addition of PIF's investment, Jio Platforms has established partnerships with a marquee set of global financial investors, who will contribute to establishing the Digital Society vision for India," the statement said.

Jio Platforms houses India's biggest telecom firm by subscribers, Reliance Jio. With more than 388 million users, Jio has forced out several rivals and driven consolidation in the sector since entering the market in 2016 with free voice services and cut-price data.

Over the past two months, billionaire Mukesh Ambani's oil-to-telecom conglomerate has announced the sale of about USD 14 billion of assets, completed a Rs 53,124 crore rights issue and slowed the run rate of new investment by a quarter.

These will help Reliance meet its target of paying off Rs 1.61 lakh crore of net debt by the end of the year.

This is PIF's largest investment into the Indian economy to date.

Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, said, "We at Reliance have enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for many decades. From oil economy, this relationship is now moving to strengthen India's New oil (data-driven) economy, as is evident from PIF's investment into Jio Platforms."

Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Governor of PIF, commented: "We are delighted to be investing in an innovative business which is at the forefront of the transformation of the technology sector in India. We believe that the potential of the Indian digital economy is very exciting and that Jio Platforms provides us with an excellent opportunity to gain access to that growth."

"This investment will also enable us to generate significant long-term commercial returns for the benefit of Saudi Arabia's economy and our country's citizens, in line with our mandate to safeguard and grow the national wealth of the Kingdom," he said.

The transaction is subject to Indian regulatory and other customary approvals.

Morgan Stanley acted as financial advisor to Reliance Industries and AZB & Partners and Davis Polk & Wardwell acted as legal counsels.

Prior to this deal, Reliance had sold 22.38 per cent of Jio Platforms to investors including Facebook Inc, securing Rs 104,326.95 crore in eight weeks.

Facebook kicked off the party, investing Rs 43,573.62 crore for a 9.99 per cent stake on April 22. This was closely followed by a further Rs 60,753.33 crore in investment

Silver Lake - the world's largest tech investor - bought a 1.15 per cent stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 5,665.75 crore on May 4. It invested another Rs 4,546.80 crore for additional 0.93 per cent stake on June 5, taking its total holding to 2.08 per cent

Private equity KKR and Vista Equity Partners have taken 2.32 per cent stake each for Rs 11,367 crore apiece. KKR invested in Jio Platforms on May 22 while Vista invested on May 8.

Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Co picked up 1.85 per cent in Jio Platforms for Rs 9,093.60 crore on June 5. Abu Dhabi Investment Authority on June 7 invested Rs 5,683.50 crore for a 1.16 per cent stake in Jio Platforms.

On May 17 global equity firm General Atlantic picked up 1.34 per cent stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 6,598.38 crore.

Global investment firm TPG on June 13 picked up 0.93 per cent for Rs 4,546.80 crore while L Catterton bought 0.39 per cent for Rs 1,894.50 crore. PTI ANZ

In its 8th Deal within 2 Mths, Jio Platforms Raises Rs 5,683.50 Cr from AIDA of UAE

Reliance Industries on Sunday said it sold 1.16 per cent stake in its digital unit to Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) for Rs 5,683.50 crore, taking the cumulative fund raising to Rs 97,885.65 crore that will help pare debt at the oil-to-telecom conglomerate.

"This investment values Jio Platforms at an equity value of Rs 4.91 lakh crore and an enterprise value of Rs 5.16 lakh crore. ADIA's investment will translate into a 1.16 per cent equity stake in Jio Platforms on a fully diluted basis," the company said in a statement.

With this investment, Jio Platforms has raised Rs 97,885.65 crore from leading global investors including Facebook, Silver Lake, Vista Equity Partners, General Atlantic, KKR, Mubadala and ADIA in less than seven weeks.

The AIDA deal comes within days of Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Investment Co picking up 1.85 per cent in Jio Platforms for Rs 9,093.60 crore on June 5. On that day, private equity fund Silver Lake invested another Rs 4,546.80 crore for additional 0.93 per cent stake in Jio Platforms.

With these investment, Reliance has sold all of the targeted 21 per cent equity in Jio Platforms ahead of a potential IPO.

Jio Platforms, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd, is a next-generation technology company. Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, with 388 million mobile subscribers, will continue to be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jio Platforms.

The deals follows Facebook picking up a 9.99 per cent stake in the firm that houses India's youngest but largest telecom firm on April 22 for Rs 43,574 crore. Within days of that deal, Silver Lake - the world's largest tech investor - bought a 1.15 per cent stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 5,665.75 crore on May 4.

On May 8, US-based Vista Equity Partners bought 2.32 per cent stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 11,367 crore. On May 17, global equity firm General Atlantic picked up 1.34 per cent stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 6,598.38 crore. This was followed by US private equity giant KKR buying 2.32 per cent for Rs 11,367 crore.

On June 5, Silver Lake made an additional investment to take its stake to 2.08 per cent.

Established in 1976, ADIA is a globally-diversified investment institution that prudently invests funds on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi through a strategy focused on long-term value creation. It manages a global investment portfolio that is diversified across more than two dozen asset classes and sub-categories.

Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, said, "I am delighted that ADIA, with its track record of more than four decades of successful long-term value investing across the world, is partnering with Jio Platforms in its mission to take India to digital leadership and generate inclusive growth opportunities. This investment is a strong endorsement of our strategy and India's potential".

The transaction is subject to regulatory and other customary approvals.

"Jio Platforms is at the forefront of India's digital revolution, poised to benefit from major socio-economic developments and the transformative effects of technology on the way people live and work.

"The rapid growth of the business, which has established itself as a market leader in just four years, has been built on a strong track record of strategic execution. Our investment in Jio is a further demonstration of ADIA's ability to draw on deep regional and sector expertise to invest globally in market leading companies and alongside proven partners," Hamad Shahwan Aldhaheri, Executive Director of the Private Equities Department at ADIA, said.

Morgan Stanley acted as financial advisor to Reliance Industries and AZB & Partners, and Davis Polk & Wardwell acted as legal counsel.

Ambani, 63, chairman and managing director of Reliance, had in August last year set a target of March 2021, to make his conglomerate net debt-free. But thanks to the Facebook deal, a Rs 53,125 crore rights issue, private equity investments, and more stake sale to companies such as Saudi Aramco, the target is likely to be achieved by December.

At the end of March quarter, Reliance had an outstanding debt of Rs 3,36,294 crore and cash in hand of Rs 1,75,259 crore. After adjusting cash, the net debt came to Rs 1,61,035 crore.

Of the outstanding debt, Rs 2,62,000 crore is on Reliance books and Rs 23,000 crore is with Jio.

Silver Lake Invests Additional Rs 4,546.80 Cr in Jio Platforms to Raise Stake from 1% to 2.08%

Private equity firm Silver Lake has invested an additional Rs 4,546.80 crore in Reliance Industries' digital arm Jio Platforms to raise its stake in the firm to 2.08 per cent.

Reliance Industries in a statement said with this, aggregrate investment by Silver Lake in Jio Platforms will be Rs 10,202.55 crore.

Silver Lake on May 4 had invested Rs 5,655.75 crore in Jio Platforms for a 1.15 per cent stake.

With this investment, Jio Platforms has raised Rs 92,202.15 crore from leading global technology and growth investors including Facebook, Silver Lake, Vista Equity Partners, General Atlantic, KKR and Mubadala in less than six weeks.

Commenting on the investment, Egon Durban, Silver Lake Co-CEO and Managing Partner, said, "We are excited to increase our exposure and bring more of our co-investors into this opportunity, further supporting Jio Platforms in its mission to bring the power of high-quality and affordable digital services to a mass consumer and small businesses population."

"The investment momentum behind Jio validates a compelling business model and underscores our admiration for Mukesh Ambani, his team and their courageous vision in creating and building one of the world's most remarkable technology companies."

Vista Equity Partners picks 2.32% Stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 11,367 cr

US-based private equity firm Vista Equity Partners will buy a 2.32 per cent stake in billionaire Mukesh Ambani's digital unit, Jio Platforms, for Rs 11,367 crore, the company announced on Friday.

"This investment values Jio Platforms at an equity value of Rs 4.91 lakh crore and an enterprise value of Rs 5.16 lakh crore," the company said in a statement.

Vista's investment will translate into a 2.32 per cent equity stake on a fully diluted basis, making Vista the largest investor in Jio Platforms behind Reliance Industries and Facebook.

Facebook had bought 9.99 per cent stake in Jio Platforms - the firm that houses India's youngest but biggest telecom firm, for Rs 43,574 crore. That deal was followed by Silver Lake - the world's largest tech investor - buying 1.15 per cent stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 5,665.75 crore.

"Jio Platforms has now raised Rs 60,596.37 crore from leading technology investors in less than three weeks," the statement said.

Jio Platforms, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries, is a next-generation tech company that brings together Jio's leading digital apps, digital ecosystems and high speed connectivity platform under one umbrella.

Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, which provides connectivity platform to over 388 million subscribers, will continue to be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jio Platforms.

Vista is a leading global investment firm focused on empowering enterprise software, data and technology enabled companies that are reinventing industries and catalyzing change. It has more than USD 57 billion in cumulative capital commitments and its global network of companies collectively represent the 5th largest enterprise software company in the world.

Currently, Vista portfolio companies have a significant presence in India with over 13,000 employees.

"I am delighted to welcome Vista, one of the world's marquee tech investors globally as a valued partner. Like our other partners, Vista also shares with us the same vision of continuing to grow and transform the Indian digital ecosystem for the benefit of all Indians," RIL Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said.

Ambani further said "we are excited to leverage the professional expertise and multi-level support that Vista has been offering to its investments globally for the benefit of Jio." PTI ANZ

PE Firm Silver Lake Acquires 1% Stake in Reliance Jio for $748 Mn At $65 Billion Valuation

Silver Lake, a California-based Private Equity (PE) firm that makes PE investments in large cap technology companies, has bought just over 1% in Jio Platforms, the telecom and digital arm of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries, for (Rs 5,655.75 crore) $748 million. This deal will take Jio's enterprise value to Rs 5.15 lakh crore or US$ 65 billion, which is more than Facebook deal worth $5.7 billion that took in last month.

Founded in 1999, Silver Lake is known for being the largest technology investors in the world including Alibaba, Godaddy, Dell Technologies, Avaya, Sabre Holdings and Skype among others.

In a statement to The Forbes, Egon Durban, a founding principal and co-CEO of Silver Lake, who is a billionaire himself with a net worth of $1.2 billion, explained the rationale behind the investment: “They have brought extraordinary engineering capabilities to bear on bringing the power of low-cost digital services to a mass consumer and small businesses population. The market potential they are addressing is enormous."

As a PE firm Silver Lake is notable for participating in club deals, that is a borrowed buyout or other private equity investment that involves two or more private equity firms. Club Deal is also referred to a consortium or syndicated investment.

Last year in August, Reliance had announced a proposed $15 billion investment by Saudi Aramco in its oil and petrochemicals business, a transaction that seems doubtful in the current scenario, and amid COVID-19 pandemic situation and its aftermaths.

In the fiscal year ended March 2020., Reliance Jio's overall annual revenue increased by 5% to $87.4 billion and it reported a net profit of $5.3 billion.

Facebook Picks up 10% Stake in Jio Platform for $5.7 Billion

Facebook on Wednesday announced an investment of USD 5.7 billion (Rs 43,574 crore) to buy a 10 per cent stake in the firm that houses billionaire Mukesh Ambani's telecom arm Jio as the social media giant looks to expand presence in its largest market in terms of subscriber base.

"Today we are announcing a USD 5.7 billion, or Rs 43,574 crore, investment in Jio Platforms Ltd, part of Reliance Industries Ltd, making Facebook its largest minority shareholder," the company said in a statement.

Reliance in a separate statement said the investment by Facebook values Jio Platforms at Rs 4.62 lakh crore pre-money enterprise value (USD 65.95 billion, assuming a conversion rate of Rs 70 to a US dollar).

"Facebook's investment will translate into a 9.99 per cent equity stake in Jio Platforms on a fully diluted basis," it said.

Jio Platforms, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), houses digital services of the group. Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, with 388 million subscribers, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jio Platforms.

The Facebook deal is part of value unlocking by RIL to cut debt. RIL has been seeking strategic partnerships across its businesses while targeting to deleverage its balance sheet.

It has been talking to Saudi Aramco for sale of a 20 per cent stake in its oil-to-chemical business for an asking of USD 15 billion. RIL has already tied up with BP Plc for fuel business as it targets to have a debt-free status by next year.

Jio had also been reportedly talking separately to Google but the fate of those discussions is not known.

The latest deal is a win-win for both Facebook and Jio. It would give Facebook deeper access to India, the second largest internet market after China.

Facebook already has 400-plus million Whatsapp users in India and is looking to launch a payment offering. Having a local partner could help it in navigating various regulatory issues, including those related to privacy and local storage.

Also, having a good telecom partner could help Facebook improve its reach to masses.

From an RIL perspective, it could leverage on Facebook's technology expertise and talent pool as well as help in its ambitions to make Jio a digital company. This apart, the deal would aid the company achieving zero debt status by March 2021.

Since launching Jio in 2016, RIL has emerged as the only Indian company capable of competing with US tech groups in the fast-growing Indian market, expanding from mobile telecom into everything from home broadband to e-commerce.

Jio has emerged as the number one telecom operator in India, both in terms of traffic as well as revenue in a virtual two-player market since the third player, Vodafone-Idea is struggling under regulatory burden. Jio's main competitor is Bharti Airtel.

Facebook said the investment "underscores our commitment to India, and our excitement for the dramatic transformation that Jio has spurred in the country".

"In less than four years, Jio has brought more than 388 million people online, fueling the creation of innovative new enterprises and connecting people in new ways. We are committed to connecting more people in India together with Jio," it added.

Together with WhatsApp and Instagram, Facebook overall is estimated to have more users in India than any other single country.

The number of internet users in India is projected to rise to about 850 million in 2022, according to consultancy PwC, up from 450 million in 2017.

"The partnership between Facebook and Jio is unprecedented in many ways. This is the largest investment for a minority stake by a technology company anywhere in the world and the largest FDI in the technology sector in India," RIL said.

"The investment values Jio Platforms amongst the top 5 listed companies in India by market capitalisation, within just three-and-a-half years of launch of commercial services, validating RIL's capability in incubating and building disruptive next-generation businesses, while delivering market defining shareholder value," the statement said.

RIL said that concurrent with the investment, Jio Platforms, Reliance Retail Ltd and WhatsApp have also entered into a commercial partnership agreement. This is to further accelerate Reliance Retail's new commerce business on the JioMart platform using WhatsApp and to support small businesses on WhatsApp.

JioMart provides consumer access to the nearest small merchant and kirana shops.

Commenting on the partnership with Facebook, RIL Chairman and Managin Director Mukesh Ambani said, "when Reliance launched Jio in 2016, we were driven by the dream of India's Digital Sarvodaya – India's Inclusive Digital Rise to improve the quality of life of every single Indian and to propel India as the world's leading Digital Society".

The synergy between Jio and Facebook will help realise the goal of 'Digital  India', he said. "In the post-corona era, I am confident of India's economic recovery and resurgence in the shortest period of time," he added.

The transaction, RIL said, is subject to regulatory and other customary approvals.

Morgan Stanley as a financial advisor and AZB & Partners and Davis Polk & Wardwell as counsels advised RIL on the transaction. PTI ANZ

Facebook in Talks to Acquire Multi-Billion Dollar Stake in Reliance Jio

Social networking giant Facebook is reportedly in talks to acquire a stake in Mukesh Ambani-led telecom operator, Reliance Jio Infocomm.

According to a report by The Financial Times, Facebook is in talks to acquire a 10% stake in Reliance Jio, a three-and-a-half-year-old subsidiary of India’s most valued firm Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), which is valued at more than $60 billion by Analysts at Bernstein.

The report, which cited two people privy to the developments, said that Facebook was close to an initial agreement to pick up a 10% stake but discussions hadn’t moved forward on account of the global disruption following the coronavirus outbreak.

The FT report also said that in addition to Facebook, Google was also in talks to acquire stake in Jio.

The acquisition deal, if materialize, would help Mukesh Ambani accomplish his ambition of cutting parent company Reliance Industries Ltd’s (RIL) debt to zero by March 2021. In addition, RIL also reportedly aims to sell a 20% stake in its refining business to Saudi Aramco.

The international financial daily said that the lockdown may have an impact on the timing of the deal.

Reliance Industries (RIL) in October had announced to set up a new subsidiary to bring all its digital initiatives and apps under a single entity, and infuse Rs 1.08 lakh crore equity into this new unit.

Jio apps like JioTV, JioCinema, JioNews etc are to be brought under this new entity in a move to consolidate digital platforms into an elegant capital structure to increase the attractiveness and simplify the structure for possible strategic investors.

On March 18, RIL took over some of the debt of Reliance Jio but the company neither disclosed financial details of the transaction nor the names of creditors.

In March last year, assets worth about Rs 1.25 lakh crore were demerged from RJIL to Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) aimed at optimising operational efficiencies and better monetisation of core digital connectivity platform, tower and fibre passive infrastructure.

Reliance Industries Takes Over some Debt Liabilities of Reliance Jio

Reliance Industries Limited on Wednesday said it has taken over some of the debt liabilities of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited following approval from the Ahmedabad bench of the National Company Law Tribunal.

"We refer to the disclosure made by Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited ('RJIL'), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, dated March 18, 2020 regarding approval of the Scheme of Arrangement amongst RJIL and certain classes of its creditors (the 'Scheme') by the Hon'ble National Company Law Tribunal, Ahmedabad Bench, for transfer of certain identified liabilities to the Company," RIL said in a BSE filing.

The company neither disclosed the name of the creditors nor the quantum of liabilities.

"Accordingly, the Identified Liabilities of RJIL stand transferred to the Company. There shall be no impact on the consolidated debt of the Company on account of assumption of the Identified Liabilities of RJIL," the filing said.

Shares of RIL closed at Rs 968.85 a unit, down by 3.97 per cent compared to the previous close, at BSE on Wednesday. PTI PRS

Reliance Jio Launches Voice and Video Calling Over Wi-Fi

Reliance Jio on Wednesday launched voice and video calling over Wi-Fi service that will allow customers to switch seamlessly from LTE to Wi-Fi-based calling when they are at home or office.

The company said Jio Wi-Fi calling - which works on the largest ecosystem of handsets - will also allow users to make video calls over Wi-Fi. The service would be available for free.

The announcement comes less than a month after rival Airtel launched a similar service in Delhi-NCR.

Jio said it has been "testing this service over the past few months to provide a robust experience to every customer at launch".

Customers can use any Wi-Fi network for Jio Wi-Fi-calling. The voice and video calls will seamlessly switch over between VoLTE and Wi-Fi to provide an enhanced voice/video-calling experience, it added.

"At this juncture, when an average Jio consumer uses over 900 minutes of voice calls every month, and at a growing base of consumers, the launch of Jio Wi-Fi Calling will further enhance every Jio consumer's voice-calling experience, which is already a benchmark for the industry with India's-first all VoLTE network," Reliance Jio Director Akash Ambani said.

Jio Wi-Fi Calling will be enabled pan-India between January 7 and 16, the statement said.

Jio's Broadband Plans may leave DTH Firms Vulnerable: Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Reliance Jio's bundled broadband services plans may leave DTH firms "most vulnerable", and work out to be "neutral to slight negative" for Bharti Airtel, as it raises competitive heat in corporate and home internet space, a Bank of America Merrill Lynch report said on Tuesday.

The view comes after Reliance Industries on Monday revealed its plans for fixed line broadband services 'Jio Fiber' that will offer optical fibre-based ultra high-speed internet bundled with HD television viewing at less than one-tenth of global rates.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch said that direct-to-home (DTH) companies could be "most vulnerable" to Reliance Industries' bundled broadband and cable services as they are unlikely to offer dual services. It did not anticipate a direct impact on broadcasters but said that indirect impact on subscription revenue could be felt if DTH/MSOs (multiple-system operator) revenue are affected.

"Long-term impact would be on ad spends if advertisers focus more on advertising on Over The Top (OTT) and spend more on producing quality content to compete with Amazon, Netflix etc," it said.

The report did not rule some pressure on Bharti's broadband revenue triggered by Jio's entry in the space. However, it said, impact is likely to be limited as overall fixed broadband penetration remains low (at less than eight per cent) and large greenfiled opportunities remain.

Bharti Airtel did not respond to an e-mail query on the issue.

Jio with over 340 million mobile subscribers has become the country's largest operator in revenue terms within three years of launching its mobile services, and now hopes to pull off the feat in fixed-line broadband services.

Jio Fiber will offer free voice calls for life from landlines, 100 mbps minimum broadband speed at subscription starting from Rs 700 a month and free HD TV set on a commitment to an annual plan. It has declared that the landline rates for international calling will be the "lowest", and its plans will come bundled with subscriptions to most leading premium OTT applications.

Jio Fiber's plans will be priced between Rs 700-10,000 per month.

HSBC, however, said RIL seemed to be targeting only a gradual addition of subscribers.

"In its wireless offering, it was easier for subscribers to switch operator but given the low penetration of wireline internet in India, RIL will have to attract new subscribers," it said.

The report further said that Hathway, Den, GTPL Hathway (owned or investee companies of RIL) also offer home broadband at price of Rs 350-400 per month but offering lower speeds of 50Mbps, whereas RIL is promising a minimum speed of 100 Mbps at a minimum rate of Rs 700.

"We expect the adoption of this offering to be gradual with a long term view of 4-5 years," the report said.

Compared to wireless where prices were at a discount to prevelent rates, Jio Fiber consumers will have to pay more for new technologies, it added.

"On Cable TV, RIL has opened a platform for collaboration with LCOs (Local Cable Operators) rather than announcing any disruptive pricing," the brokerage report said. PTI MBI

Reliance to Launch Jio Fiber on Sep 5; Hi-Speed Broadband from ₹ 700/Mth, Unlimited Free Calls from Landlines

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani on Monday announced the roll-out of 'Jio Fiber' from September 5, promising free voice calls for life from landlines, 100 mbps minimum broadband speed at subscription starting from Rs 700 a month and free HD TV set on a commitment to an annual plan.

Speaking at the 42nd Annual General Meeting (AGM), Reliance Industries' Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said Jio will also offer unlimited international calling pack from its landlines to the US and Canada at Rs 500 a month, and that default tariff plans will be one-fifth to one-tenth of existing market tariffs.

"...voice calls from home to any Indian operator - mobile or fixed - will be absolutely free forever. On fixed-line international voice calling, we are today ending the era of high international calling rates on landline by announcing the lowest fixed line rates for international calling...," he said.

Jio Fiber services would be available on a commercial basis from September 5.

"...the average fixed-line download speed in the US which is the most developed economy is around 90 Mbps. In India even the most basic Jio Fiber plan starts with 100 Mbps speed and we have plans all the way up to 1 Gbps or 1000 Mbps," he said adding that this would improve the quality of fixed-line data in India.



Declaring that the plans will come at less than one-tenth of global rates, Ambani said Jio Fiber plans will be priced between Rs 700 to Rs 10,000 per month "to suit every budget".

The plans, will come bundled with subscriptions to most leading premium Over The Top (OTT) applications.

"Also, for the first time in India, we are introducing a disruptive concept for watching new movies. Premium Jio Fiber customers will be able to watch movies in their living rooms the same day these movies are released in theatres," he said. This service - Jio First Day First Show - will be launched in mid-2020.

Over the last two years, the RIL AGMs have been a platform to showcase new and upcoming initiatives of the Group. Last year, speaking at the company's 41st AGM, Ambani had said the Jio Giga Fiber Service will provide ultra-high definition entertainment on TV, voice activated assistance, virtual reality gaming and digital shopping as well as smart home solutions.

It was widely-expected that he would spell out the details of the commercial roll-out of Jio Giga Fiber at Monday's AGM.

Jio has been scaling up Jio Giga Fibre infrastructure in various cities over the last few months, and half a million homes have already been given access to it on a trial basis.

Ambani said that since its announcement last year, Jio received over 15 million registrations from nearly 1,600 towns.

"And based on these registrations, we have drawn up a plan to reach 20 million residences and 15 million business establishments in these 1,600 towns," Ambani said. The company will also offer special mobility service for Jio Fiber users to deliver a platinum-grade service and product experience.

Jio Postpaid Plus will offer priority SIM-setup service at home. It would also provide data and voice connectivity across all devices, both at home and outside, along with family plans and international roaming at a fraction of a cost.

"The experience of Jio Fiber and Jio Set Top Box really comes to life when combined with an LED TV. So, Jio Fiber customers who opt for our annual plans which we call Jio Forever plans, will get an HD or 4K LED TV and a 4K set top box absolutely free," he said.

Ambani said that Jio which has amassed over 340 million mobile subscribers in less than three years, is now ready to fire four new growth engines including Internet of Things (IoT) for the entire country, home and enterprise broadband services as well as broadband for SMEs.

Revenue from each of these engines will flow in from this fiscal itself.

The investment cycle of Reliance Jio is complete, and about Rs 3.5 lakh crore has been invested in its digital network, he said. Ambani said that India was "data dark" before the entry of Jio, and its launch has made India "data-shining bright".

"The potential for growth is immense and half a billion customers, is now I believe well within our reach," he said. The investment cycle of Jio is now complete, and only marginal investments would be needed in areas to grow capacity, he said adding that this gives the company strong operational leverage and superior return on investments for years to come.

Jio's IoT platform will be commercially available starting January 1, 2020.

"Jio aims to connect at least 1 billion of these (connected devices) on Jio's IoT platform. This translates into a Rs 20,000 crore per year revenue opportunity for Jio," he said.

The company said it has received strong interest from strategic and financial investors for its consumer businesses -- Jio and Reliance Retail.

"We will induct leading global partners in these businesses in the next few quarters, and move towards listing of both these companies within the next five years," he pointed out. PTI AA MBI

Jio's June Quarter Net Profit Zooms 45.6% to Rs 891 Crores

Reliance Jio - now India's second largest telecom operator in subscriber base - Friday posted 45.6 per cent rise in net profit for June quarter of 2019-20 to Rs 891 crore, and said the beta trials of its much anticipated 'JioGigaFiber services' is in the final lap.

The company's earnings scorecard comes on a day when Reliance Jio raced past Bharti Airtel to become the second largest mobile operator, as per May 2019 data released by telecom regulator Trai.

For the first quarter ended June 30, Reliance Jio's operating revenue stood at Rs 11,679 crore, up 44 per cent over the year-ago period. Jio's subscriber base stood at 331.3 million as on June 30, 2019.

The June quarter net profit at Rs 891 crore was 45.6 per cent higher over the year-ago period and 6.1 per cent increase when seen sequentially. The company has recorded profit after tax of Rs 612 crore in the Q1 FY19, and Rs 840 crore in Q4 FY19.

"Growth in Jio mobility services has continued to surpass all expectations ...Jio management is focused on giving unmatched digital experience at most affordable price to every citizen of the country, and accordingly expanding the network capacity and coverage to keep pace with demand," Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, of Reliance Industries Limited said in a statement.

Beta trials of JioGigaFiber services have been "very successful" and the entire bouquet of smart home solutions would "soon" be rolled out to targeted 50 million households and beyond, Ambani pointed out.

During the June quarter, the Average Revenue per user (ARPU) for Reliance Jio - the company that unleashed one of the most brutal price wars in India's telecom market - was at Rs 122 per subscriber per month. This is, however, lower than ARPU of Rs 126.2 per subscriber per month seen in the March quarter.

Anshuman Thakur, head of strategy for Jio, said that ARPU is lower as the company is concentrating on longer term plans, and many users are taking Jio Phones which also eats into the average realisations. The company claimed that it was not into ARPU game and would rather focus on adding subscribers.

There is also an increasing trend of customers going in for digital recharges which is impacting the ARPU as the users are typically given incentives on such recharges.

Earlier Friday, Reliance Jio, outpaced Bharti Airtel to become the second largest mobile operator with 32.29 crore subscribers and 27.80 per cent market share in May 2019, as per regulator Trai's data.

The move was significance as Reliance Jio stormed into the highly-competitive telecom sector in September 2016 with its disruptive voice and data offerings, while Bharti Airtel had launched its services way back in 1995.

As per Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), Vodafone Idea - born last year from the merger of older operators Vodafone India and Idea Cellular - continues to be the largest operator with 38.75 crore consumers and 33.36 per cent market share in the wireless segment as on May 31, 2019. Sunil Mittal-promoted Bharti Airtel has slipped to the third spot with 32.03 crore mobile subscribers and 27.58 per cent market share during the month.

Established operators like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea Ltd are in the midst of a bruising tariff war following the entry of Reliance Jio, backed by India's richest man Mukesh Ambani.

Jio's free voice and dirt-cheap data offering have dented the financial metrics of older operators, deepening the impact of regulatory decisions like cut in termination charges, even though the voice and data usage have been growing at a scorching pace. PTI AA MBI

Jio Ties with Global Telecom Body GSMA to Bridge Gender Gap in Digital Adoption

Telecom operator Reliance Jio Monday said it has joined GSMA's Connected Women Initiative to bridge the gender gap in digital literacy and adoption.

Under the partnership, Jio and global telecom industry body GSMA will work towards empowering more women for increased access to, and use of, life-enhancing digital services.

The recent accelerated adoption of mobile and internet technologies has changed how people engage, educate and entertain. However, the gender gap in mobile adoption in India persists due to a lack of access, affordability and inclusion in the digital revolution.

As part of the Connected Women Initiative, GSMA works with mobile operators and their partners globally to address the barriers that women face in accessing and using mobile internet and mobile money services.

Reliance Jio Infocomm Director Isha Ambani said the growth of mobile and internet technologies over the past decade has been rapid and remarkable and offers an incredible opportunity to empower women and transform lives with increased access to information and education, aiding financial inclusion and providing life-enhancing services.

"This is the reason why Jio was conceived, and we have committed ourselves to making this dream come true for all Indians," Ambani said in a statement.

GSMA and the service providers can together deliver significant socio-economic benefits and transform the lives of women, the statement said. PTI PRS

Denying Inter-connectivity to RJio Costed Rs 3,050 Cr to Airtel, Vodafone Idea

The telecom regulator is not in a position to modify its previously recommended penalty on Vodafone India and Idea Cellular (now merged) and Bharti Airtel as it is bound by the provisions of Trai Act, according to a senior Trai official.

Citing the clauses in the Act, the regulator recently informed the Department of Telecom (DoT) that it is "constrained from offering any further comments" on the matter and the Centre now has to take a final call on the issue.

The regulator has already given its views once in response to a back reference in 2017 by DoT, the Trai official said adding that as per the provisions in the Act there is no scope for any further modification.

The Act makes it clear that once a recommendation is referred back to Trai by DoT, the regulator has to within 15 days, forward to the central government its suggestions after considering the reference made by the government.

After receipt of further recommendation, if any, the Centre shall take a final decision, the Act says.

The official, who did not wish to be named, said pursuant to the October 2016 suggestions of Trai on the penalty to be imposed on the three operators, the recommendations were referred back by DoT on April 5, 2017 for reconsideration, to which Trai sent its views to the government on May 24, 2017.

Hence, after receiving "further recommendation" in response to the first back reference, the Centre has to take final decision on the matter, the official said explaining that Trai is unable to change the penalty it had suggested since it is bound by the provisions of the Act.

In October 2016, Trai had recommended imposing a total penalty of Rs 3,050 crore on Airtel, Vodafone Idea for allegedly denying interconnectivity to newcomer Reliance Jio.

The penalty on Airtel and Vodafone works out to be about Rs 1,050 crore each. In case of Idea it comes to about Rs 950 crore. Since Vodafone and Idea have now merged their businesses, the new entity Vodafone Idea will have to bear the burden of both companies.

The Digital Communications Commission, the apex decision-making body of DoT, last month, approved imposing penalty on Airtel and Vodafone Idea for not providing points of interconnection to Reliance Jio.

Before imposing the penalty, however, the Commission decided to seek Trai's views on revising Rs 3,050 crore suggested penalty, citing the "present financial health of the sector". PTI MBI ABM ANU

Piramal Group and Reliance Jio may together Launch Fintech & Lending Platform

Within a couple of a week after a report surfaced suggesting that Japan's SoftBank may lead investment of massive $1 billion in Mumbai-based Piramal Enterprises' financial services arm, an another recent report by Economic Times says that Reliance Jio and the Piramal Group may set up a joint venture (JV) for consumer lending and fintech.

It is to be noted that Reliance Jio is promoted by Mukesh Ambani while Piramal Group is owned by Ajay Piramal, who is Ambani's his in-law through his newly-wed daughter Isha Ambani.

The proposed JV, supported by Softbank Vision Fund, is at a very premature stage, but experts say the synergies are obvious.

According to the report, the Piramal Group is on the verge of closing a massive Rs 9600 crore funding from one more unknown investor besides Softbank. The capital infused is likely to be in two tranches.

Besides, Reliance Jio and Reliance Retail, the subsidiaries of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries, is also in process of launching a new e-commerce platform in India, which will initially be rolled for Gujarat retailers and store-owners.

In March, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), through its subsidiary Reliance Industrial Investments & Holdings ('RIIHL'), has made three acquisitions of software solutions companies -- Reverie Language Technologies Pvt Ltd, Surajya Services Private Limited (‘Easygov’) and SankhyaSutra Labs Pvt Ltd, according to various media outlets.