Why Mukesh Ambani Should Build Jio OS – India’s Next Digital Foundation

Over the past decade, the Ambani industrial family has become impossible to ignore. From lavish public celebrations to deeply symbolic nods to the Indian civilization, and from their green energy mega-projects to the unmatched commercial heft of Jio, they have etched themselves into the nation’s psyche.


Jio Infocomm 

Jio, in particular, stands out. In just a few years, it has reached tens of crores of Indians — a scale that few companies in the world can match. Through affordable SIMs, OTT platforms, and payment solutions, Jio has not only disrupted industries but also reshaped how Indians access and consume the internet. Mukesh Ambani himself has spoken of his desire to bring affordable AI to every Indian person and enterprise through the Jio SIM.

But here lies the point of contention: Is that enough?


More Needed 

For all their wealth, industrial experience, and professed love for India’s future, the Ambanis seem to be stopping short in one critical domain — foundational technology. Jio is massive, yes, but it remains primarily a telecom-plus-content brand. It should be more. If Ambani truly wants Jio to be a software company — as he declared some years ago — it’s time to build something transformative: Jio OS.


Some Visible Steps in That Direction:-

-AvniOS for 2-Wheeler EVs: JioThings has created an Android-based OS (AvniOS) as part of a smart digital cluster and module for two-wheeler EVs, in partnership with MediaTek. It brings analytics, voice control, IoT integration, and apps like JioSaavn and JioPages right to the dashboard .

-JioTele OS for Smart TVs: Launched in early 2025, this is Jio’s homegrown Smart TV OS, offering AI recommendations, 4K streaming, regional and global app support, cloud gaming, and frequent updates. It’s already rolling out on brands like Thomson, Kodak, BPL, and JVC .


A Unified Jio OS 

The logical next step? Build on these foundations to deliver a unified Jio OS platform—one operating system to rule them all, with AI deeply embedded and tailored for India’s multilingual and device-diverse needs.

This wouldn’t be just another operating system. Like the SIM revolution, Jio OS could reach every corner of India — embedded not just in phones, but in televisions, home appliances, vehicles, IoT devices, and more. Imagine the downstream IT and AI products that could be developed on top of it. Imagine an Indian OS powering everything from rural agriculture tools to enterprise AI platforms.


Here's a brief, plausible roadmap:-

-Start with a dedicated JioTech campus to recruit world-class engineers and acquire promising software companies.

-Build Jio OS as an Android-compatible system, but progressively make it proprietary and uniquely suited for India’s multilingual, multi-device landscape.

-Release developer kits, foster an app ecosystem, and partner with hardware makers to embed Jio OS widely.

-Integrate an indigenous large language model — trained in Indian languages and contexts — so that Jio OS becomes the natural platform for AI in India.

-Expand internationally, offering Jio OS as a sovereign, affordable tech stack for other nations in the Global South.


The Payoff Would be Huge 

The payoff? India would achieve tech sovereignty in OS and AI. Millions of new, high-value jobs would emerge in R&D and downstream industries. And Ambani’s personal legacy evolves from that of a telecom disruptor to a civilizational tech architect.


Ambani can, Ambani should 

Ambani has the resources, the infrastructure, and the reach to make this happen. Above all, he has already shown — through Jio’s expansion — that he relishes the challenge of bringing cutting-edge services to hundreds of millions of Indians. With Jio OS, he could do it again, but at a far deeper, more foundational level.

He can, therefore, he should.

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