Disney’s Bob Iger Praises JioStar Partnership at Reliance Annual Meet as Chair Mukesh Ambani Unveils AI Alliances With Google and Meta
Disney CEO Bob Iger joined Reliance Industries chair and MD Mukesh Ambani at the company’s annual general meeting in Mumbai on Friday to spotlight the rapid rise of JioStar, the Reliance–Disney joint venture that has become a dominant force in India’s media ecosystem.
“It is a privilege to address the Reliance AGM and to mark what is already proving to be an extraordinary partnership,” Iger said. “By bringing together Reliance’s digital reach, execution, and understanding of the Indian consumer, combined with Disney’s rich library of world-class storytelling and beloved IP, JioStar has quickly established itself as a global force in media and entertainment, with nearly 300 million paid subscribers.”
Reliance Industries and Disney completed their long-awaited media merger last year, creating an Indian powerhouse valued at $8.5 billion. The deal combined Disney’s Star India with Reliance’s Viacom18 and streaming platforms JioCinema and Hotstar.
In his own remarks, Ambani called the creation of JioStar “a defining moment for India’s media ecosystem.” He told shareholders the platform now offers more than 320,000 hours of content, six times more than its closest rivals, with JioHotstar drawing 600 million users within three months of launch, including 300 million paying subscribers — making it the world’s second-largest streaming platform built entirely in India. Reliance also holds a 34% share of the television market, equal to the next three networks combined.
JioHotstar, the merged JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar streamer, is rolling out new AI-driven features including RIYA, a voice-enabled search tool; Voice Print, which uses AI voice cloning and lip-sync technology to localize shows and films; JioLenZ, offering customizable viewing modes; and MaxView 3.0, which enhances cricket coverage with multiple camera angles, instant highlights, and interactive scorecards.
Ambani also updated shareholders on Network18, citing Moneycontrol Pro’s milestone of more than one million paying subscribers, placing it among the world’s top 15 subscription news platforms. Firstpost registered 400 million video views in May, becoming the most-viewed Indian English news channel on YouTube worldwide. CNN-News18 has led general news for three years, while CNBC-TV18 has retained leadership in business news for more than two decades.
Beyond content, Ambani also used the AGM to announce the creation of Reliance Intelligence, a new subsidiary to drive AI adoption across India, alongside two landmark global partnerships.
Reliance and Google Cloud will establish a dedicated AI cloud region in Jamnagar, powered by Reliance’s renewable energy and Jio’s network. “Just as Jio and Google came together to democratize the internet for every Indian, we will now democratize intelligence for every Indian,” Ambani said. Google CEO Sundar Pichai added in a statement: “Our work together over the last decade has helped bring affordable internet access to millions. And now, we are building on this to help shape the next leap with AI.”
Reliance also formed a joint venture with Meta, capitalized at about $100 million, to develop Llama-based enterprise AI solutions for India and select international markets. “We will democratize enterprise-grade AI for every Indian organization — from ambitious SMBs to blue-chip corporates,” Ambani said. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg noted in a statement: “Through this joint venture, we’re putting Meta’s Llama models into real-world use, and I’m looking forward to Meta expanding its footprint in the enterprise space as we unlock new possibilities together.”
