In a candid conversation with McKinsey & Company’s Leading Asia series, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani opened up about his ambitious plans for the future of his company. The Mukesh Ambani Vision is now focused on transforming Reliance into a deep-tech and advanced manufacturing powerhouse, far beyond its traditional strongholds.
“The world is changing at lightning speed,” he said, reflecting on how rapidly technology is reshaping industries and lives. For Ambani, the biggest challenge ahead isn’t just keeping up with change—it’s giving the next generation the confidence to lead in this new era.
This pivot toward deep-tech, he explained, actually began years ago, when Reliance made its bold leap into telecom with the launch of Jio. That, he said, was the company’s first real step into building complex technology from the ground up, an essential milestone in realizing the Mukesh Ambani Vision.
Jio’s 5G Rollout: A Turning Point
Ambani pointed to the 2021 rollout of Jio’s 5G services as a defining moment in Reliance’s tech journey. “We built everything ourselves—core, hardware, software—every piece,” he recalled. While global players like Ericsson and Nokia were brought in to support around 20% of the build, the rest was done internally. The goal? To prove to themselves—and the world—that they could match, or even outperform, the best in the business.
But Ambani also made it clear that confidence didn’t mean arrogance. “I wanted our people to be ambitious, but also stay humble,” he said. This balance of ambition and humility is central to the Mukesh Ambani Vision for long-term success.
The result was a telecom service that didn’t just offer speed but came loaded with in-house innovation, giving Jio an edge in the fiercely competitive market.
Creating, Not Just Consuming, Technology
Ambani’s drive to build rather than borrow technology comes from past experiences, when Indian companies had no choice but to license foreign tech. “Back then, we were just users. We had to license everything, and it came with huge risks,” he said. If a plan didn’t work out, the consequences could be massive.
That mindset is changing fast within Reliance. Ambani now urges his teams to be owners of technology—to lead, not follow. And the company’s next big focus? Artificial Intelligence.
Rather than dive into high-stakes areas like GPU manufacturing, Ambani said Reliance is choosing a smarter route: focusing on downstream AI applications that solve real-world problems. “Our big purpose is to solve complex problems for society—and in doing that, create wealth for the country and its people,” he said.
Mukesh Ambani vision signals a major shift for Reliance—one that’s rooted in purpose, confidence, and innovation. As India embraces the next wave of digital transformation, Reliance looks ready to be more than just a participant. It wants to lead the way.
