Google partners with Ambani’s Reliance to offer free AI Pro access to millions of Jio users in India

To expand its AI footprint in emerging markets, Google has partnered with billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries to bundle its AI Pro membership with Jio 5G plans at no extra cost.

Thursday, Google announcement A partnership with Reliance, India’s largest company by market capitalization, to offer free AI Pro subscription for 18 months to eligible Jio users. The alliance comes just three months after the confusion Reliance’s arch-rival Bharti has tied up with AirtelAirtel, India’s second largest telecom operator, to provide free access to Perplexity Pro to its 360 million subscribers.

India, the world’s most populous country and the second-largest internet market with more than a billion users, has long been an irresistible target for global technology companies. While the country has yet to see a major homegrown AI breakthrough, US tech giants increasingly see it as the next big frontier — a place to collect diverse data, refine models and test AI use cases that can later scale to other emerging markets. The latest partnership between Google and Reliance is a clear reflection of that strategy.

The Jio offer will initially reach users aged 18 to 25 before being extended to all Jio customers nationwide, the companies said. This includes access to Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro model via the Gemini app, higher limits of AI image and video creation via Nano Banana and Veo 3.1, enhanced use of Notebook LM for study and research, and 2 TB of cloud storage in Google Photos, Gmail, Drive and WhatsApp backups.

“This partnership will bring more delightful local experiences powered by AI to Jio users,” the Indian telecom giant said.

The 18-month offer is priced at ₹35,100 (about $396), the companies said. Google’s AI Pro plan usually is Cost ₹1,950 (approx. $22) per month in India and includes a free one-month trial.

In addition to the consumer offering, Reliance has partnered with Google Cloud to expand access to its Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) in India. Reliance’s AI subsidiary, Reliance Intelligence, will become a strategic go-to-market partner for Google Cloud to expand Gemini Enterprise across Indian organizations and develop its own pre-built AI agents for the platform.

“Today’s announcement will put Google’s cutting-edge AI tools into the hands of consumers, businesses and India’s vibrant developer community,” Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said in a prepared statement.

At its 48th Annual General Meeting in late August, Reliance announced Its investors include Google and Meta to strengthen its AI infrastructure in India through a newly created subsidiary called Reliance Intelligence. Reliance and Meta have committed to set up a joint venture with a combined investment of ₹8.55 billion (about $100 million) with a 70/30 ownership split.

Earlier this week, Google announced plans to offer rival OpenAI Free access to its sub-$5 ChatGPT Go plan Starting November 4 for all users in India. The entry-level tier, launched locally in August, has since expanded to 17 countries across Asia.

There are also AI heavyweights like OpenAI and Anthropic Setting up shop in IndiaHoping to learn more about local users and expand their reach in the world’s largest emerging market.

Google earlier this year to give Indian students get a free one-year subscription to its AI Pro plan. That promotion runs through September 15.

India has already facilitated the adoption of US-led AI platforms and ranks among the top consumer markets for the tools. Google’s Nano Banana, OPIC’s AAIPAnd Claude of Anthropology. Expanding free access to paid AI versions can further accelerate adoption and cement India’s position as a key growth consumer market for generative AI offerings. However, it remains to be seen if India will translate into meaningful revenue for these AI companies once the current wave of free bundling offers runs its course.

“Through our collaboration with strategic and long-term partners like Google, we aim to make India not just AI-enabled but AI-enabled – where every citizen and enterprise can create, innovate and grow intelligent tools,” Ambani said.