Jio, a subsidiary of Reliance, expresses reservations about India’s proposed OTT regulation framework.

Reliance Jio, India’s largest telecom service provider, has joined several other prominent companies in opposing the proposed OTT regulation in the country. The company argues that OTT content services, such as Netflix and Amazon, should not be brought under the authorization of the Indian Telecommunications Act, 2023, as proposed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Jio believes that OTT services are already regulated under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and Rules in India, and that they operate differently than Distribution Platform Operators (DPOs), which provide broadcasting services through dedicated networks and infrastructure. The company’s stance is significant, as it has recently merged with Walt Disney and Viacom 18, and is seen as actively opposing some government moves in recent times. The OTT video market in India is expected to generate $4.08 billion in revenue in 2024 and grow at a CAGR of 7.73% from 2024 to 2029. Jio’s main competitor, Bharti Airtel Ltd, has advocated for bringing OTTs under the authorization framework, but Jio and other companies disagree and argue that OTT services should not be regulated as telecom operators.