Anil Ambani, Chairman of the Reliance Group, is celebrating his 66th birthday today, June 4, 2025. Anil was once a titan in the Indian industry, but he has faced storms that would have broken a lesser spirit. However, his resilience and commitment kept him going. Anil was the sixth-richest person in the world in 2008 with a whooping net worth of $42 billion. His journey, however, has been a rollercoaster ride, marked by a low point where he declared bankruptcy in a UK court in 2020.
Reliance Group, under Anil’s leadership, faced massive debts, legal battles, and public scrutiny, but the business icon refused to give up. After the 2005 split in Reliance Industries, Anil got the command of sectors, like telecom, finance, infrastructure, and power. Initial successes earned him recognition, such as the “Businessman of the Year” award by Business India and Times of India. Reliance Power’s 2008 IPO that raised 11,563 crore, however, slowly his empire faltered.
Reliance Communications and Reliance Capital filed for insolvency in 2019 and 2021, respectively, due to massive debt defaults. By 2020, Anil’s net worth plummeted to zero, and he faced numerous legal challenges, including a SEBI’s ban from the securities market in August 2024. In 2019, a debt dispute with Ericsson could have landed him in jail, but he was rescued by his elder brother, Mukesh Ambani.
Rise Of Anil Ambani
Anil Ambani’s rise is supported by his sons Jai Anmol and Jai Anshul. In the ups and downs, Anil has demonstrated his capacity to learn and adapt. Despite past missteps, his determination to bounce back from adversity, highlights a resilient spirit that refuses to be defeated.
Reliance Infrastructure and Reliance Power became the two glitters of Anil Ambani. They are the profitable pillars of his empire, and are leading the charge in his comeback. These companies have made remarkable comebacks, achieving debt-free status and delivering strong financial results.
Talking about Reliance Power, once burdened by debt, it is now a Rs 23,000 crore company. In the last quarter (January–March) of FY25, the company posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 126 crore, compared to a loss of Rs 397.56 crore in the same period last year.
Meanwhile, Reliance Infrastructure also witnessed a significant surge, with its market capitalization jumping from Rs 8,500 crore to Rs 12,500 crore in just one week in September 2024. The company’s shares surged 60% to Rs 336.20/share, the highest since 2018. Additionally, it substantially reduced its standalone debt from Rs 3,831 crore to Rs 475 crore by November 2024.
Reliance Power And Reliance Infrastructure
In the second quarter of FY25, Reliance Power reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 2,878.15 crore. The company settled Rs 3,872 crore in guarantor obligations for its subsidiary Vidarbha Industries Power Ltd and saw its subsidiary Sasan Power repay a $150 million loan to IIFCL, which led to the surge in its share price. Reliance Power is one of the leading player in solar and battery storage space, with a net worth over Rs 15,000 crore. The company boasts 2.4 GW solar and 2.5 GWh storage capacity.
Reliance Infrastructure’s net worth now stands at Rs 9,041 crore and is projected to surpass Rs 12,000 crore with new fund infusions. The company recently raised Rs 2,930 crore through Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds (FCCBs) and operates across multiple sectors. It manages projects such as Mumbai’s metro line, several road projects, and power distribution in Delhi through BSES Delhi Discom. In the defence sector, Reliance Defence has partnered with Rheinmetall AG to manufacture explosives in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, as part of the Dhirubhai Ambani Defence City. This follows earlier deals with Dassault Aviation and Thales.
Not The Bed Of Roses
Anil is quietly building a strong presence in defence and green energy, with his companies landing major deals, such as Reliance Power’s Bhutan projects and Reliance Defence’s partnerships.
However, Anil’s comeback is not the bed of roses. Some Reliance Group firms still carry heavy debt. Anil is contesting the SEBI’s ban against him, restricting his market access. Past setbacks, including the loss of Reliance Capital and Reliance Communications, underscore the risks of overleveraging. However, learning from the experiences, Anil appears focusing on a debt-free strategy for his current ventures.
Reliance Group’s comeback is attributed to his strategic vision, particularly his focus on sectors like solar and defence, which align with national priorities.
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