Ambani Meets Zuckerberg: Reliance & Meta Join Forces to Launch Rs 855 Crore AI Revolution for Indian Businesses

August 29, 2025 – A historic moment unfolded at Reliance Industries Limited’s (RIL) 48th Annual General Meeting (AGM). Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest businessman, and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, came together to announce a powerful new AI joint venture (JV). The partnership will focus on building open-source AI models for Indian businesses, using Meta’s Llama technology and Reliance’s deep industry presence.

This is more than a partnership. It is a new chapter in India’s technology story. It promises affordable, enterprise-ready artificial intelligence for millions of businesses.

The Birth of a New AI Joint Venture

Reliance and Meta confirmed they will launch a joint venture with a clear mission—to make AI accessible, affordable, and scalable for Indian enterprises.

The JV will combine Reliance’s industrial strength with Meta’s AI expertise. The open-source Llama models will be at the heart of this collaboration. These models will be customized for Indian use cases. Sectors like energy, retail, telecom, healthcare, media, agriculture, and manufacturing will benefit.

Mukesh Ambani said the JV is aimed at delivering “sovereign, enterprise-ready AI solutions for India.” He explained that India must not depend fully on foreign AI platforms. Instead, the country should build its own, tailored for its needs.

Mark Zuckerberg highlighted how open-source AI can boost creativity and productivity. He said this partnership will ensure that AI reaches every corner of India—from small startups to large corporations.

💰 Investment and Ownership Structure

The new venture will start with an investment of Rs 855 crore (about USD 100 million). Reliance will hold 70% stake, while Meta will own the remaining 30%.

The money will be used for:

Research and development of AI solutions.
Training and fine-tuning Llama models for Indian languages and industries.
Expanding access to small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Building affordable tools for customer service, sales, marketing, and finance.

The deal is expected to close in the last quarter of 2025, pending necessary approvals.

🤖 What is Meta’s Llama?

Llama (Large Language Model Meta AI) is Meta’s flagship open-source AI platform. It is known for being powerful, flexible, and community-driven. Unlike closed AI models, Llama can be modified, redistributed, and deployed freely.

For Indian businesses, this is important. Closed AI systems are often costly and rigid. Open-source allows developers to create customized, low-cost AI solutions.

Reliance will use Llama to:

Build chatbots for customer care in local languages.
Develop AI tools for retail analytics.
Create smart solutions for agriculture and manufacturing.
Power business automation for SMEs.

This move also ensures digital sovereignty—AI trained and built in India, for Indian businesses.

📊 India’s AI Push and Government Policies

India is already moving fast in AI adoption. The government has launched IndiaAI Mission and AI Centers of Excellence to support the industry. With this JV, Reliance and Meta align perfectly with the national vision.

Open-source AI reduces dependency on global giants like OpenAI or Microsoft. It also allows local startups and developers to innovate faster.

The timing is key. AI is projected to add USD 500 billion to India’s economy by 2030. This JV could help India capture a major share of that growth.

🏢 How Businesses Will Benefit

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs):
AI tools will help SMEs improve customer service, cut costs, and compete with global players.
Retail Sector:
Personalized shopping recommendations, AI-driven inventory control, and better customer insights will transform Reliance Retail.
Telecom and Jio Users:
AI can power smart services on Jio platforms, giving users smarter assistants, faster support, and AI-driven features.
Healthcare:
AI-based diagnostics, patient support chatbots, and predictive tools can help hospitals and clinics.
Agriculture:
AI can analyze soil, weather, and crop data, guiding farmers with better decisions.
Education and Media:
Smart tutors, AI-driven learning apps, and content recommendations will reach millions of Indian students and viewers.

🏗️ Google Joins the AI Push

Interestingly, Google is also part of Reliance’s AI strategy. Alongside Meta, Google will help Reliance build AI-ready data centers in India. These will ensure reliable cloud infrastructure for hosting Llama and other AI solutions.

Reliance also launched a new subsidiary called Reliance Intelligence. This unit will drive AI infrastructure, robotics, and automation projects.

📡 Why This Matters for India

India has more than 1.4 billion people and a rapidly growing digital economy. Reliance Jio already connects over 460 million telecom users. Reliance Retail serves millions of shoppers every day.

By combining this reach with Meta’s AI technology, the JV can scale faster than most global competitors.

It also signals a shift in AI power balance. Instead of depending on Western companies, India will have its own AI ecosystem, built on open-source foundations.

🔑 Key Highlights (Quick Facts)

📅 Date of Announcement: August 29, 2025, at Reliance AGM.
🏢 Companies: Reliance Industries (70%) + Meta (30%).
💵 Investment: Rs 855 crore (USD 100 million).
🔧 Technology: Open-source Llama models.
🌍 Goal: Affordable, enterprise-ready AI for India.
🏭 Sectors Impacted: Retail, telecom, energy, healthcare, education, agriculture, media.
📡 Support: Google to provide AI-ready data centers.
🧠 New Arm: Reliance Intelligence to focus on AI and automation.