The BBC has partnered with Jio Media Limited to expand its regional footprint in India, bringing its language-based news services, including that in Hindi, to a wider digital audience through connected TV and mobile platforms.

The partnership will make BBC News Hindi, BBC News Marathi and BBC News Gujarati available on JioTV and JioTV+, enabling users across the country to access BBC’s journalism on smart TVs and mobile devices. The move is part of a broader effort to deepen regional language engagement and improve accessibility for Indian audiences.

As part of the rollout, the BBC will introduce FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television) channels and digital streams that will carry 24×7 programming. This includes a daily 18-minute live Hindi news bulletin, alongside continuous curated content designed for Indian viewers.

Tim Awford said the collaboration will significantly strengthen the broadcaster’s presence in India, noting that the country already represents BBC’s largest global audience. He added that the partnership with Jio will enhance access to accurate and impartial journalism across regions.

The BBC Hindi FAST channel officially launched on March 16 on both JioTV and JioTV+, while Marathi and Gujarati services are expected to go live soon, further expanding regional language offerings.

Rupa Jha, Editor-in-Chief and Co-founder of Collective Newsroom (an Indian associate of BBC formed to comply with local rules) highlighted that the collaboration aims to combine BBC’s global journalism with locally relevant digital storytelling.

She said: “Through this partnership with Jio, we aim to bring the BBC’s best journalism together with Collective Newsroom’s digital storytelling to reach wider audiences in India. In the spirit of public service, our goal is to ensure credible, engaging, and impactful stories are accessible to people across platforms.”