In a move that could significantly democratize access to advanced artificial intelligence in India, Google is partnering with Reliance Jio to offer its Gemini Pro AI plan to Jio users at no extra cost for 18 months. This collaboration aims to accelerate AI adoption across the nation, aligning with Reliance's "AI for All" vision.
The offer, valued at ₹35,100, grants eligible Jio subscribers access to a suite of AI tools and services, including the Gemini 2.5 Pro model, enhanced capabilities for image and video generation through Nano Banana and Veo 3.1, expanded features in NotebookLM, and a substantial 2 TB of cloud storage across Google Photos, Gmail, and Drive. This generous cloud storage extends to backing up WhatsApp chats on Android devices.
The rollout will commence with early access for Jio SIM users aged 18 to 25 who have an active unlimited 5G plan of ₹349 or above. The offer will then be extended to include every eligible Jio user nationwide "in the shortest time possible". To activate the offer, eligible customers can visit the MyJio app and register using their Gmail ID. Users must also maintain an active 5G plan throughout the 18-month period to keep accessing the Google Gemini offer benefits.
This partnership positions Reliance Intelligence as a strategic partner for Google Cloud, aiming to drive the adoption of Gemini Enterprise across Indian organizations. It also underscores Google's commitment to investing in India's AI infrastructure, following its recent announcement of a $15 billion investment over the next five years to build a data center and AI hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
The move comes amid increasing competition among tech giants vying for a share of India's massive mobile user market. OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, recently announced a free one-year subscription to its ChatGPT Go service for Indian users, starting November 4. Perplexity AI Inc has partnered with Jio's rival Bharti Airtel for free premium access.
With a user base of over 506 million, Reliance Jio is the largest telecom operator in India and the second-largest single-country operator worldwide. This collaboration with Google has the potential to bring AI capabilities to a vast audience, fostering innovation and growth across various sectors.
Mukesh Ambani, chairman and MD of RIL, stated that the collaboration with Google aims to make India not just AI-enabled but AI-empowered. The partnership also focuses on developing localized AI experiences that reflect India's cultural and linguistic diversity.
Furthermore, Reliance will partner with Google Cloud to expand access to its advanced AI hardware accelerators, Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), as part of its plan to build clean energy-powered, sovereign compute infrastructure in India. This initiative will enable organizations to train and deploy large AI models and improve performance for complex projects, strengthening India's national AI backbone and contributing to a globally competitive AI ecosystem.
