Summary:
Jio, which transformed India’s telecom sector a decade ago with free voice services and low-cost data, is now preparing to take its India-developed technology to global markets. Akash Ambani said the company’s international ambitions cover connectivity, digital products, enterprise solutions and AI. With 533.3 million subscribers as of June 2026 and more than 23 exabytes of monthly data traffic, Jio has emerged as one of the world’s largest data networks.
A decade after transforming India’s telecom sector through free voice services and aggressive data pricing, digital services company Jio is now looking to take its India-developed technology platform to international markets.
In a September 5 letter to employees marking the company’s 10-year journey, Reliance Jio Chairman and Jio Platforms Managing Director Akash Ambani outlined a shift in Jio’s ambitions from building India’s digital ecosystem to developing technologies for global markets. The company’s plans span connectivity infrastructure, consumer digital products, enterprise offerings and artificial intelligence.
“Jio today is much more than a telecom company. We are building original technology in India across connectivity, digital products, enterprise solutions and AI. The opportunity before us is to continue making the benefits of technology accessible at scale, taking these technologies global and strengthening India’s position as a creator of technology for the world,” Ambani wrote.
Jio’s commercial operations began on September 5, 2016, through Reliance Jio Infocomm, following internal network trials that started on December 28, 2015. After offering free services for an initial six months, the operator experienced rapid customer growth, reaching 50 million subscribers within 83 days and surpassing 100 million in less than six months.
Following a corporate restructuring in November 2019, Reliance Jio became a subsidiary of Jio Platforms. By June 30, 2026, its subscriber base had grown to 533.3 million.
“Ten years ago, Jio began with a bold vision and purpose set by our Chairman Mukesh Ambani: to make high-quality digital connectivity affordable and accessible to every Indian. Ten years on, that conviction has changed India, and I feel a deep sense of pride and gratitude for how far we have come together,” Ambani said.
During the past decade, Jio has added nearly 500 million net subscribers, more than the combined subscriber additions recorded by the three largest US telecom operators over the same period and 1.3 times the additions of its closest Indian rival. The company now processes more than 23 exabytes of data traffic each month, placing it among the world’s largest data networks and making it the fastest-growing connectivity base outside China.
Ambani credited Jio’s employees for overcoming the technical and operational complexities involved in expanding the business. “Every day, teams across Jio have taken on difficult challenges, questioned established ways of doing things, created new products and technologies, and served our customers with commitment. That willingness to think differently, move with speed and keep the customer at the centre of everything we do has shaped Jio from the very beginning,” he said.
