MAM
Barista appoints Media Mantra as its communication partner
Mumbai: Barista has appointed Media Mantra as its PR agency to handle the communication of its chain of espresso bars and cafes. As Barista’s strategic communications partner, Media Mantra has been tasked with improving the company’s reputation, increasing brand awareness, and assisting the brand’s aggressive expansion in India. Barista’s selection of Media Mantra is consistent with the company’s vision to revitalise the brand with new inspiration and creativity, expand into emerging markets, and build on its long history of success in the country.
Barista CEO Rajat Agrawal said, “Over the years, Barista has not only grown in reputation but also in growth numbers. With the increasing number of players in the ever-competitive Indian landscape, Barista is at an exciting juncture of reinventing its approach and entering a strong growth and expansion phase. This is where Media Mantra’s well-demonstrated creativity, unmatched expertise, and vast experience will play an integral role in our efforts to position our brand in the market.”
He further added, “The agency has a high level of passion and a clear understanding of our business and communication needs. We look forward to our next phase of growth in India with Media Mantra as our communication partner.”
Media Mantra director and co-founder Pooja Pathak said, “We, at Media Mantra take immense pride in becoming the PR partner of a legacy brand like Barista that has transformed coffee houses into cultural hubs and much more in India. With a clear understanding of the brand’s ambitions and priorities, we are conscious of our role as strategic advisers, and look forward to supporting Barista’s vision and mission in what promises to be an important success story.”
Media Mantra CEO Rahul Mehta said, “Barista is one of the biggest names in the Indian F&B ecosystem with a unique brand story, rich heritage and legacy. We are thrilled to partner with them and very excited about all the possibilities we can create together to elevate the brand reputation and reinforce the brand love through dynamic storytelling. We are hopeful that our relationship will yield greater connection and engagement for the brand with its customers.”
As part of its revamp strategy, the Indian coffee chain has rapidly expanded in tier II and tier III towns. In addition to introducing new formats like Barista Diners, an all-day dining establishment with a live kitchen, it has also modified its menu to suit the tastes of Indians. Recently, it has also increased the variety of FMCG products it offers by introducing chocolates, cookies, and coffee powder.
Digital
Mukesh Ambani pledges Rs 10 lakh crore to power India’s AI rise
From data to intelligence, Reliance bets big on an AI revolution
NEW DELHI: Billionaire Mukesh Ambani on Thursday unveiled a jaw-dropping Rs 10 lakh crore investment plan to catapult India into the artificial intelligence era, promising to transform the country’s digital landscape much like he did with mobile data.
Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit, Ambani painted a vision of “super abundance” powered by AI. “Artificial Intelligence is not just another technology. For the first time, humans are creating systems that can learn, speak, analyse, move, and produce autonomously,” he said. Drawing a vivid analogy, he added, “I see AI as a modern-day Akshay Patra, the legendary vessel in the Mahabharat that provided endless nourishment. Likewise, AI offers limitless augmentation in knowledge, efficiency, and productivity.”
Ambani outlined a stark fork in the global AI road. “One path leads to scarce, expensive AI and controlled data, the other ensures AI is affordable and accessible,” he said. “India cannot afford to rent intelligence. We will reduce the cost of intelligence as dramatically as we did the cost of data.”
The Reliance chairman highlighted Jio’s role in building the country’s digital backbone, pointing out that India is the world’s largest mobile data consumer, with nearly 1 billion internet users enjoying some of the lowest costs globally. “In terms of quality, there is no difference between Delhi and the remotest Indian village,” he said.
Jio Intelligence will spearhead the plan with a three-pronged approach. Gigawatt-scale data centres are already under construction in Jamnagar, with 120 megawatts expected online in the second half of 2026, paving the way for large-scale AI training. A green energy advantage of up to 10 gigawatts of surplus power, anchored in solar plants in Kutch and Andhra Pradesh, will fuel the AI push sustainably. Finally, a nationwide edge compute layer integrated with Jio’s network will make AI responsive, low-latency, and affordable for citizens across India.
Ambani concluded with a bullish note on India’s strengths. “No country can match India’s strength in demography, democracy, development, digital infrastructure, data generation, and AI harvest,” he said. With 1.4 billion Aadhaar IDs, over 12 billion monthly UPI transactions, and a booming startup ecosystem of over 100,000 ventures including more than 100 unicorns, India is poised to emerge as a global AI powerhouse.
The Rs 10 lakh crore investment will roll out over seven years, starting this year. Ambani stressed that this is “not speculative investment. It is patient, disciplined nation-building capital,” signalling a long-term vision that promises to place India firmly on the global AI map.
