Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries Mukesh Ambani on Wednesday said that now is the “best time to invest” in West Bengal, presenting his ambitious vision for the state, driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Addressing the Bengal Global Business Summit in Kolkata, Ambani said that West Bengal has a special advantage in the era of the knowledge economy.
He revealed that Reliance’s investments in the state have surged 20-fold in under a decade, exceeding Rs 50,000 crore.
Ambani commended Jio’s achievements in West Bengal, announcing that the network now reaches 100% of the state’s population.
He also said that Jio is “currently building the best AI infrastructure in India,” with an AI-ready data center in Kolkata set to become 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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‘Best time to invest’: Mukesh Ambani lauds Bengal’s ‘inclusive, sustainable development model’
