Meta and Reliance Secure EU Approval for $100M AI Venture

Meta Platforms and Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries have for their new joint venture, a significant step in their plan to develop and launch artificial intelligence solutions for the Indian enterprise market. The European Commission concluded the partnership would not raise competition concerns, clearing a key regulatory hurdle for the ambitious project.

The joint venture, first announced in late August, is structured with Reliance holding a majority 70% stake and Meta retaining the remaining 30%. The companies have committed an initial (approximately ₹855 crore) to capitalize the new entity. This collaboration deepens the existing relationship between the two giants, following Meta's $5.7 billion investment in Reliance's Jio Platforms in 2020.

The core mission of the partnership is to combine Meta’s powerful open-source Llama AI models with Reliance's vast digital infrastructure and extensive market reach. The venture aims to offer a suite of AI services, including a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) model, to for businesses of all sizes across India. The proposed solutions will target enhancing critical functions like customer service, sales operations, and marketing, with the flexibility of cloud or on-premises deployment to ensure affordability.

For Meta, this move represents a strategic push to monetize its substantial AI research and expand the real-world application of its Llama models beyond consumer-facing products. It provides a significant entry point into the lucrative enterprise AI space in one of the world's fastest-growing digital economies. For Reliance, the venture solidifies its position as a leader in India's digital transformation, enabling it to offer cutting-edge AI solutions to its massive base of business clients. With European approval now secured, the transaction is expected to be finalized in late 2025, paving the way for the launch of its first enterprise offerings.