In a bold push into India’s booming digital gaming space, Reliance Industries, through its sports arm RISE Worldwide, has entered a strategic joint venture with Denmark-based BLAST, one of the world’s premier esports tournament organizers. The partnership aims to bring BLAST’s globally acclaimed esports properties to the Indian audience while co-creating new, localized intellectual properties (IPs) to capitalize on the country’s massive gamer base. With India now officially recognizing esports as part of multi-sports events, this collaboration could become a cornerstone in shaping the future of competitive gaming in the region.

Reliance and BLAST Unite to Transform Indian Esports

The newly formed joint venture between RISE Worldwide and BLAST Esports is more than a business arrangement—it's a vision to build India's esports ecosystem from the ground up. BLAST, which works with top-tier global publishers such as Epic Games, Riot Games, Valve, KRAFTON, and Ubisoft, will introduce its global tournament frameworks and production formats to Indian soil.

The JV’s primary objective is to launch large-scale, IP-driven esports events tailored to Indian gamers, brands, and content consumers. Simultaneously, it will bring established global esports titles to the Indian market, offering local audiences access to world-class competitive gaming experiences.

India: The Fastest Growing Gaming Nation

India boasts an astonishing 600 million gamers, representing nearly 18% of the global gaming community. Yet, despite the sheer volume, the country's esports market remains in its formative years, offering fertile ground for rapid expansion.

The Indian government’s formal recognition of esports as part of the multi-sport category marks a critical inflection point. With a policy-driven framework and commercial interest from industry heavyweights like Reliance, the groundwork is being laid for a scalable, regulated, and monetizable esports economy.

BLAST Brings Global Production Quality and Audience Scale

BLAST isn’t just a tournament organizer—it’s a media powerhouse in the esports domain, with events forecasted to generate over 2 billion views in 2025, across 150+ territories and in more than 30 languages.

By integrating its broadcasting capabilities, production value, and tournament expertise, BLAST will be instrumental in crafting a professional-grade esports infrastructure in India. The focus will be on content localization, grassroots talent development, and brand partnerships to bring esports into the cultural mainstream.

JioGames to Serve as Distribution Powerhouse

Reliance will harness the reach and technological sophistication of its digital arm, Jio, to power the joint venture’s content distribution through JioGames—a platform already embedded in millions of Indian households. With Jio’s unmatched mobile and broadband network, the new entity gains a direct pipeline to consumers across urban and rural India.

This symbiotic integration of technology, infrastructure, and content creation provides a robust foundation for hosting and promoting large-scale esports tournaments and community-driven competitive gaming events.

Leadership Statements Reflect Ambitious Vision

Robbie Douek, CEO of BLAST, called the collaboration “a unique opportunity to elevate India’s esports ecosystem,” citing Reliance’s expansive reach and deep market knowledge. The partnership, he said, would combine global experience with localized execution to deliver scalable growth.

Devang Bhimjyani, Head of Reliance Sports, added that the joint venture would extend Reliance’s footprint in the sports domain into esports, leveraging RISE’s event marketing expertise and Jio’s technical infrastructure to drive audience engagement.

Reliance’s Strategic Pivot into Esports Aligns with Digital Ambitions

Led by Mukesh Ambani, Reliance Industries has long pursued sectoral dominance across traditional and digital verticals. With revenues exceeding USD 119.9 billion, its operations range from energy and petrochemicals to retail and cutting-edge digital services.

The foray into esports aligns with Reliance’s larger vision to be India’s digital transformation enabler, especially in high-growth, youth-centric verticals like gaming. The JV with BLAST reflects the group’s understanding of shifting consumer trends and the potential of esports as the next entertainment frontier.

Conclusion: Esports in India Enters a New Era

The joint venture between Reliance and BLAST is more than a commercial alliance—it marks the institutionalization of esports in India. By blending BLAST’s global credibility with Reliance’s deep-rooted presence and digital muscle, this move positions the JV as a potential market leader in the coming years.

As India transitions from a mobile-first gaming culture to a structured esports economy, this collaboration could catalyze the next wave of competitive gaming, media innovation, and fan engagement. For gamers, investors, and brands, the esports narrative in India has just gained a powerful new chapter.