Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, on Wednesday said that now is the "best time to invest" in West Bengal and shared his ambitious vision for the state—powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Addressing the Bengal Global Business Summit in Kolkata, the industrialist noted that West Bengal has a special advantage in the era of the knowledge economy.
He said that Reliance's investment in West Bengal has grown 20-fold in less than a decade, with current investments surpassing Rs 50,000 crore.
Mukesh Ambani praised the progress made by Jio in the state, announcing that the network now covers 100% of West Bengal’s population.
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He added that Jio is "currently building the best AI infrastructure in India" and that an AI-ready data center in Kolkata will be operational in nine months.
Further sharing his vision for Bengal, he said: "All of India needs this kind of inclusive and sustainable model of development so that no Indian is left behind and no region in India is left behind."
He acknowledged the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was present in the audience.
"Thank you for your leadership, Mamata Didi," he said, adding that Bengal has become a source of growth and hope within India’s fast-changing landscape.
The RIL chairman said that Bengal’s strategic location, improving infrastructure and its people are the state’s biggest assets.
"Bengal has always been a land of super-intelligent people," he said, noting that when natural intelligence is combined with artificial intelligence, "there is no way that Bengal can fail."
Looking ahead, Ambanis is committed to continuing Reliance’s growth in the state. "Reliance's commitment to Bengal's all-around development remains unwavering," he affirmed.
Reflecting on the company’s progress, he shared that in 2016, Reliance’s investment in Bengal was below Rs 2,000 crore, but now stands at over Rs 50,000 crore.
Mukesh Ambani further pledged to double this investment by the end of the decade, which has already created over 1 lakh direct jobs and spurred significant economic growth.
He also made five specific commitments to West Bengal’s future development, with a focus on digital infrastructure and services.
He recalled Jio’s auspicious launch from Kolkata in 2016, which he credited with triggering a digital revolution across India and transforming the country into a digital superpower.
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