In a candid conversation with India’s top gaming creators last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi articulated a clear vision: Esports must be allowed to flourish within a structured yet nurturing framework. More than just entertainment, Esports represents a burgeoning industry—one with vast job opportunities and even a potential Olympic future. With India officially recognising Esports as a sport and the country’s gaming ecosystem rapidly expanding, the momentum is undeniable.
Now, with Reliance partnering with BLAST, we may be witnessing one of the most significant milestones in India’s gaming landscape.
Reliance-owned RISE Worldwide announced a landmark partnership with Denmark-based BLAST, one of the world’s leading Esports tournament organisers, on Wednesday, April 02. This joint venture aims to revolutionise India’s Esports scene by introducing global IPs, developing new domestic tournaments, and providing Indian players with a structured pathway to compete internationally.
But what does this mean for Indian Esports? Will this partnership focus on mobile gaming, or could it finally be the much-needed push for PC Esports in the country?
India’s gaming industry is among the fastest-growing in the world. With a massive 600-million-strong gamer base, the country accounts for 18 percent of the global gaming population. According to industry projections, India’s gaming market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 19 percent, reaching USD 9.2 billion by 2029. However, despite these impressive numbers, the country’s Esports ecosystem remains in its infancy, particularly in the PC gaming segment, which has yet to achieve global competitiveness.
BLAST is renowned for producing, marketing, and delivering elite-level competitions for some of the biggest Esports titles, including Counter-Strike 2 (BLAST Premier series), Rainbow Six Siege (in partnership with Ubisoft), Dota 2, PUBG, Fortnite, and Rocket League (in collaboration with Epic Games, Valve, KRAFTON, and Riot Games). Their high-production-value tournaments attract millions of viewers worldwide, making them a dominant force in the Esports ecosystem.
“India is one of the most exciting and fastest-growing gaming markets in the world, with a rapidly expanding Esports audience and appetite for more competitive gaming experiences,” said BLAST CEO Robbie Douek in the press release. “By partnering with Reliance, a market leader with unparalleled expertise and reach in India, we have a unique opportunity to elevate the local Esports scene to new heights.”
Devang Bhimjyani, Head of Reliance Sports, echoed this sentiment, stating: “We are excited to partner with BLAST, which is a leader in conducting world-class Esports tournaments globally in partnership with the largest gaming publishers for marquee gaming titles. I welcome Robbie and his team to the Reliance Group.”
THE MOBILE GAMING CONUNDRUM
One of the biggest questions surrounding this partnership is whether it will focus on mobile gaming or PC Esports. While India boasts an enormous gaming population, India Today Gaming raises a critical point:
“The eye-catching number of 600 million gamers sounds astonishing at first, but that number has nothing to do with either Reliance or BLAST, as this is just a massively inflated RMG players’ headcount,” notes Musab Zaman, Head of Esports and Gaming at India Today Gaming.
In reality, India’s competitive gaming ecosystem is overwhelmingly mobile-centric, with BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) and Free Fire dominating the market. However, with Free Fire banned in India, BGMI remains the only major mobile Esports title with an established tournament structure.
If Reliance and BLAST decide to focus on mobile Esports, they could potentially rival KRAFTON’s BGMI Esports ecosystem. However, Musab highlights a valid concern: “Is Reliance x BLAST going to create a parallel IP to Krafton’s well-structured and deep-rooted BGMI Esports ecosystem? And how is the latter going to sustain against it?”
A TURNING POINT IN PC GAMING?
While mobile gaming dominates, PC gaming has remained a niche but dedicated community in India. Popular PC Esports titles include Counter-Strike 2 (BLAST’s flagship game), Valorant and Apex Legends.
However, high hardware costs, limited publisher investment, and weak Esports infrastructure have prevented PC gaming from reaching its full potential.
Musab speculates that BLAST’s entry into the market could be a breakthrough moment for Indian PC gaming: “BLAST indeed can be a messiah for PC gaming. Now, it is not untrue that India does have a lump sum amount of PC gamers, especially if we are talking about Counter-Strike, Valorant, and Apex Legends, which, in fact, is BLAST’s niche.”
If this partnership secures Indian teams a place in global BLAST tournaments, it could provide the structure and international exposure needed to elevate Indian PC Esports to a world-class standard.
ROAD TO E-SPORTS OLYMPICS?
The partnership also raises exciting possibilities for India’s potential entry into the Olympic Esports Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed that the first-ever Olympic Esports Games will take place in 2027, with the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) as the founding partner.
IOC President Thomas Bach underscored the significance of this initiative:
“There is now a very clear roadmap to the historic first-ever Olympic Esports Games. With the Road to the Olympic Esports Games starting this year, the Games are becoming a reality.”
If Reliance and BLAST successfully position India as a serious competitor in Esports, this could pave the way for Indian teams to participate in both the 2027 Olympic Esports Games and the 2026 Asian Games, where Esports has already been recognised as an official category.
TWO KEY CHALLENGES
Despite the excitement, there are two key challenges that must be addressed for this partnership to succeed.
Local Infrastructure – India still lacks a robust Esports infrastructure, and hosting large-scale PC tournaments will require significant investment.
Local Partnerships – Will BLAST collaborate with Indian tournament organisers such as Nodwin Gaming or Tesseract Esports to leverage local expertise?
Musab raises an important point: “Although Reliance/JioGames is there with them, there is a difference between sports and Esports. When was the last time you heard of an Esports tournament organised or run by them or their associates?” asks Musab Zaman.
WHAT’S IN STORE?
The Reliance-BLAST partnership has the potential to be a defining moment for Indian Esports. If executed well, it could introduce global Esports tournaments to India, create structured pathways for Indian players to compete on an international stage, revitalise PC gaming in the country, and prepare Indian teams for Olympic-level competition
While many questions remain, one thing is clear: Indian Esports stands at the cusp of transformation. With the right vision, investment, and execution, this partnership could catapult India onto the global Esports map and solidify its position as a true Esports powerhouse.
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