Jio (Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited) is India’s largest telecom operator — launched in September 2016 by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries, it disrupted India’s telecom market with free voice calls and cheap data plans, triggering massive consolidation. Today Jio has over 450 million subscribers, making it one of the world’s largest telecom companies. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL).
| Full Name | Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited |
| Launched | September 5, 2016 |
| Owner | Reliance Industries Limited (Mukesh Ambani) ~80%+ |
| Subscribers | 450M+ (India’s #1 telecom) |
| Parent Listed | BSE: 500325 | NSE: RELIANCE |
| Key Investors | Meta (~9.99%), Google (~7.7%), KKR, Silver Lake (via Jio Platforms) |
Who Owns Jio?
Jio (Reliance Jio Infocomm) is owned by Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) — controlled by Mukesh Ambani. Jio sits inside Jio Platforms Limited — a subsidiary of RIL housing JioTV, JioCinema, JioFiber, and all digital services. In 2020, Jio Platforms raised over ₹1.52 lakh crore (~$20B) by selling minority stakes to global investors — Meta/Facebook (~9.99%), Google (~7.7%), KKR, Silver Lake, General Atlantic, and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Reliance Industries retains majority control (~80%+) of Jio Platforms. Official: jio.com.
| Investor | Stake in Jio Platforms | Investment |
|---|---|---|
| Reliance Industries (Mukesh Ambani) | ~80%+ | — |
| Meta (Facebook) | ~9.99% | $5.7B |
| ~7.7% | $4.5B | |
| KKR, Silver Lake, Vista, GA, others | Minority stakes | ~$10B combined |
Jio’s Disruption Story
Before Jio, India’s mobile data was expensive and voice calls carried STD/roaming charges. Jio’s September 2016 “Welcome Offer” — unlimited free voice + cheap data — triggered India’s greatest telecom disruption. Within 6 months, Jio had 100 million subscribers. India went from 10+ telecom operators to effectively 3 (Jio, Airtel, Vi) plus BSNL. India now has the cheapest mobile data in the world.
Reliance Industries also controls Network18, the parent of news channel CNN-News18.
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Jio also briefly sold budget handsets under its own brand — see our profile of the discontinued Reliance LYF phone line.