₹43,574 Crore to AI Partner: Meta and Google's Big Jio Shift

In 2020, Facebook wrote a ₹43,574 crore cheque for a 9.99% slice of Jio Platforms. Google followed with ₹33,737 crore for 7.73%.

Back then, both looked like passive bets on India's internet boom. Today, Meta co-owns an AI company with Reliance, and Google is building a dedicated cloud region in Jamnagar. The shareholders have quietly become partners.

Quick answer

• Meta and Google invested in Jio Platforms in 2020 as minority shareholders.
• Meta now holds 30% of Reliance Enterprise Intelligence, a 70:30 enterprise AI joint venture built on its open-source Llama models.
• Google is partnering with Reliance on a Google Cloud region in Jamnagar, powered by Reliance's clean energy and connected by Jio.
• For Indian businesses, it could mean more home-grown AI and cloud options, but the commercial results are still to be seen.

Why this matters now

The Economic Times has laid out how the two tech giants' Jio stakes have turned into an AI alliance. The shift is from simply putting in capital to actually building things together, across AI software, cloud infrastructure, connectivity and enterprise apps.

That matters because Reliance is trying to build across the whole AI stack in India. That runs from energy and data centres to models, apps and distribution to millions of users.

The 2020 bets: what Meta and Google bought

In 2020, Jio Platforms raised money from 13 investors for around 33% of the company. Two of the biggest cheques came from Silicon Valley.

Meta paid ₹43,574 crore for 9.99% and Google paid ₹33,737 crore for 7.73% of Jio Platforms in 2020

Source: The Economic Times

Google's investment came with a commercial deal to develop an affordable Android smartphone with Google Play. The fundraise also positioned Jio Platforms as more than a telecom company, with plans across digital services, devices, payments, commerce and entertainment.

Ahead of Jio Platforms' proposed public listing, Meta affiliate Jaadhu Holdings held 9.98% and Google International held 7.73%, according to Angel One data cited by ET.

Meta's move: from investor to AI co-owner

At Reliance's annual general meeting in August 2025, the company announced Reliance Intelligence, a wholly owned AI subsidiary. It also announced a joint venture with Meta, with an initial investment of about ₹855 crore, split 70% Reliance and 30% Meta.

That venture became Reliance Enterprise Intelligence Limited (REIL), incorporated in October 2025. A February 2026 filing, reported by Business Today, shows how the money actually went in.

Reliance Intelligence put in ₹596.6 crore for 70% and Meta's Facebook Overseas ₹256.6 crore for 30% of REIL

Source: Business Today

The total allotment stood at ₹853.2 crore. REIL issued 85,31,75,000 equity shares of face value ₹10 each, at par.

The venture will develop, market and distribute enterprise AI services built on Llama. The focus is on sovereign, enterprise-ready AI platforms for Indian businesses and government institutions, plus sector-specific tools.

In plain terms, Meta brings the models and its AI ecosystem. Reliance brings its business reach, digital infrastructure and distribution.

Google's move: cloud, power and connectivity

Google's role sits lower in the stack. The two companies are setting up a dedicated Google Cloud region in Jamnagar. According to PTI, as reported by The Week and cited by ET, Reliance will power it with clean energy and Jio will provide connectivity.

For Google, that means a partner with large-scale energy, network and consumer distribution in India. For Reliance, Jamnagar is part of a push to build domestic AI capacity and sell cloud and AI services to businesses, developers and public-sector users.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has called the Reliance relationship nearly a decade old. In remarks cited by TelecomTV, he credited it with helping spread affordable internet in India. The next phase is the same idea, with AI replacing connectivity as the big opportunity.

What it means for Indian users and businesses

For businesses and SMBs: a Llama-based enterprise AI platform from Reliance could mean AI tools priced and packaged for Indian companies, sold through a network they already deal with.

For developers and startups: a cloud region in India backed by clean power could mean more local compute for AI workloads. Watch for pricing, which has not been announced in these reports.

For Jio users: there is no direct change today. But the same playbook that made data cheap is now being pointed at AI.

Red flags to watch

• Results are unproven. ET notes that the commercial outcomes are still to be established.
• Concentration risk. One group building energy, cloud, models and distribution could limit choice if rivals cannot keep up.
• Big announcements, few prices. None of these reports give prices for the AI platform or the Jamnagar cloud region.
• Not a stock tip. Partnership news alone tells you little about whether any listed share is a good buy.

FAQs

How much did Meta and Google invest in Jio Platforms? Facebook (now Meta) invested ₹43,574 crore for a 9.99% stake, and Google invested ₹33,737 crore for a 7.73% stake, in 2020.

What is Reliance Enterprise Intelligence? It is the 70:30 joint venture of Reliance Intelligence and Meta's Facebook Overseas. It builds enterprise AI platforms and tools on Meta's Llama models for Indian businesses and government institutions.

Where is the Google Cloud region being built? In Jamnagar, Gujarat. Reliance will power it with clean energy and Jio will provide connectivity.

Does this change anything for Jio mobile users right now? Not directly. These partnerships are aimed at businesses, developers and public-sector users first.

This post is for information only and is not investment advice.

Sources

• The Economic Times: From shareholders to partners, how Google and Meta's Jio investments evolved into an AI alliance
• Business Today: RIL restructures Reliance Enterprise Intelligence, completes Rs 853 crore share allotment, Meta unit takes 30% stake
• The Economic Times: RIL's Jio Platforms receives Rs 33,737 crore from Google
• ETTelecom: Jio Platforms receives Rs 43,574 crore from Facebook for 9.99% stake