India’s media giant JioStar is making waves in the industry with its bold content investment strategy. Vice Chair Uday Shankar recently announced that the company is set to double its programming budget to approximately $3.6 billion this year, with plans to further increase spending in 2026.
Speaking at Mumbai’s World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES), Shankar emphasized the immense growth potential of India’s media market. He revealed that in 2024, JioStar spent $3 billion on content, a number that increased to $3.6 billion in 2025. The company is projected to spend over $3.8-4.1 billion on content in the coming year, totaling more than $10 billion over three years.
Following the merger of Reliance’s Jio platforms with Disney’s Indian assets, JioStar has seen significant growth in both its traditional pay TV and streaming businesses. With half a billion platform visitors, the company has defied industry skeptics, although specific subscriber numbers remain undisclosed.
Shankar highlighted the importance of affordability in the Indian market, noting that catering to a larger audience requires keeping pricing strategies accessible. He credited India’s media growth to price sensitivity, emphasizing the need for companies to prioritize affordability in their strategies.
In terms of innovation, Shankar criticized global media companies for failing to evolve monetization models. He urged companies to pursue deeper distribution and develop content tailored to Indian audiences to capitalize on the country’s $30 billion video entertainment market, which he believes could double in size within five years.
Addressing challenges in India’s theatrical market, Shankar noted the contrasting performance of the Hindi-language Bollywood industry compared to the thriving southern Indian film industries. He attributed this disparity to a lack of content evolution in the north to align with changing audience preferences.
Looking ahead, Shankar advised regulators to avoid standardizing regulations across different platforms, as this could stifle innovation and diminish the value in both traditional and digital media businesses. He emphasized the need for continued differentiation to drive growth and meet the evolving needs of consumers.
In conclusion, JioStar’s aggressive content investment strategy reflects its commitment to driving growth and innovation in India’s dynamic media landscape. As the company continues to expand its reach and offerings, it remains at the forefront of shaping the future of entertainment in the country.
