Mukesh Ambani’s message on Facebook-Jio deal: JioMart, WhatsApp’s plan for ecommerce kirana stores

Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd and Mark Zuckerberg-founded Facebook have signed a mega deal of Rs 43,574 crore, giving the US-based social media firm a 9.99% equity stake in homegrown mobile network Jio. 

The two companies now plan to leverage their joint reach with RIL’s pet project JioMart and Facebook-owned Whatsapp to help connect kirana stores with consumers. “In the very near future, JioMart — Jio’s digital new commerce platform — and WhatsApp will empower nearly 3 crore small Indian kirana shops to digitally transact with every customer in their neighbourhood,” RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani said in a video statement in the morning. For customers, it means that they can order and get faster delivery of day-to-day items from nearby local shops, Mukesh Ambani added. Facebook and RIL now together look to empower India’s digital economy.

While kirana store owners have been in focus for Reliance for some time, the company said that it will in future extend its technology to other sections of the society as well such as farmers. “In the days to come, this winning recipe will be extended to serve other key stakeholders of Indian society. Our kisans, our small and medium enterprises, our students and teachers, our healthcare providers, and above all, our women and youth, who form the foundation of a new India,” Mukesh Ambani said, calling this deal a “great catalyst” for making India the world’s leading digital society. He also said that the company’s vision is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of ‘Digital India’ and ‘ease of living’ for all Indians. 

RIL and Facebook deal is the first mega cross-border deal of the year as the social media website eyes India’s 6 crore small businesses and a lucrative digital customer base of 1.3 billion users. Reliance Jio was launched in 2016 and it brought a digital revolution in the country.