{"id":4465,"date":"2025-09-11T05:03:59","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T05:03:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/?p=4465"},"modified":"2026-03-06T09:15:43","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T09:15:43","slug":"top-bba-llb-university-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/top-bba-llb-university-in-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Reliance Jio vs Airtel \u2013 Understanding Predatory Pricing Through Competition Law"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/top-bba-llb-university-in-india\/#Introduction\" >Introduction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/top-bba-llb-university-in-india\/#What_is_Predatory_Pricing\" >What is Predatory Pricing?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/top-bba-llb-university-in-india\/#The_Entry_of_Reliance_Jio\" >The Entry of Reliance Jio<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/top-bba-llb-university-in-india\/#Airtels_Response\" >Airtel\u2019s Response<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/top-bba-llb-university-in-india\/#The_Role_of_Competition_Law\" >The Role of Competition Law<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/top-bba-llb-university-in-india\/#What_Students_Can_Learn\" >What Students Can Learn<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/top-bba-llb-university-in-india\/#Real-World_Impact\" >Real-World Impact<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/top-bba-llb-university-in-india\/#Why_This_Matters_for_BBA_LLB_Students\" >Why This Matters for BBA LLB Students<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/top-bba-llb-university-in-india\/#SRM_University_Delhi-NCR_Sonepat_%E2%80%93_A_Place_to_Learn_These_Lessons\" >SRM University Delhi-NCR, Sonepat \u2013 A Place to Learn These Lessons<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/top-bba-llb-university-in-india\/#FAQs\" >FAQs<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/top-bba-llb-university-in-india\/#1_What_is_predatory_pricing_in_simple_words\" >1. What is predatory pricing in simple words?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/top-bba-llb-university-in-india\/#2_Did_Reliance_Jio_use_predatory_pricing\" >2. Did Reliance Jio use predatory pricing?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/top-bba-llb-university-in-india\/#3_Why_is_the_Reliance_Jio_vs_Airtel_case_important_for_students\" >3. Why is the Reliance Jio vs Airtel case important for students?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction\"><\/span><b>Introduction<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When we focus on the telecom industry in India, one of the biggest battles that comes to mind is Reliance Jio vs Airtel. This case is not just about two telecom giants fighting for customers. It is also about competition law and how the rules of the market protect fair play.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For BBA LLB students, this case is an important study. It shows how businesses use pricing strategies and how the law steps in to make sure no one misuses their power. Students at the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/admissions.srmuniversity.ac.in\/\"><b>top BBA LLB university in India<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> study these cases to understand the balance between business freedom and legal boundaries.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Predatory_Pricing\"><\/span><b>What is Predatory Pricing?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let us first know what predatory pricing is all about before we move forward with the case.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Predatory pricing occurs when a company sells its products and services at a very low price. The aim is to attract all customers, push competitors out of the market, and then later praise the market and then later raise the prices once the market is already captured.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In simple words, it is like selling something so cheaply that no one else can survive in the business. For students at the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/department\/department-of-law\"><b>top BBA LLB university in India<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, this is often the first example they study under competition law.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Entry_of_Reliance_Jio\"><\/span><b>The Entry of Reliance Jio<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reliance Jio entered the Indian telecom market in 2016. It offered free voice calls and extremely cheap data plans. Millions of people switched to Jio within a short time period.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By the year 2017, Jio had gained more than<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/business\/india-business\/reliance-jio-touches-100-million-subscribers-in-170-days-mukesh-ambani\/articleshow\/57269396.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">100 million subscribers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in just 170 days, the fastest in the world at that time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This shook the entire telecom industry. Other companies like Airtel, Vodafone, and Idea had to reduce their prices significantly to compete. Many smaller companies could not survive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Students at the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/department\/department-of-law\"><b>top BBA LLB university in India<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> typically ask: Was Jio\u2019s strategy just smart business, or was it unfair and illegal under competition law?<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Airtels_Response\"><\/span><b>Airtel\u2019s Response<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Airtel, the leading telecom company before Jio\u2019s entry, argued that Jio was using predatory pricing. They said Jio was offering services below cost with the intention of capturing the entire market.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Airtel filed complaints and raised questions before the Competition Commission of India (CCI). This made the case Reliance Jio vs Airtel one of the most intense battles in business law classrooms in the country.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At every<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/department\/department-of-law\"><b> top BBA LLB university in India<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, professors use this case to explain how businesses defend themselves legally when faced with aggressive competition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Role_of_Competition_Law\"><\/span><b>The Role of Competition Law<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Competition law in India is designed to make sure that businesses compete fairly. It prevents monopolies and protects the interests of consumers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The CCI studied the case of Jio\u2019s pricing carefully. They checked whether Jio had a dominant position in the market and whether it was abusing it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the year 2016, the market share of Jio was only<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/business\/companies\/jio-eats-into-market-share-of-large-telcoms-in-2016-trai-4733896\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6.4%<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. On the other hand, the other players had the following numbers:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Airtel had about 24%<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vodafone was capturing 19% of the overall Indian market<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And 18% was under the control of Idea.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is the key lesson for students: predatory pricing will be proven if the company has dominance and misuses it. As Jio was new in the market, the CCI decided that Jio was not in a dominant position.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, the complaint of predatory pricing against Jio was rejected.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This decision is often debated in every <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/department\/department-of-law\"><b>top BBA LLB university in India<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as it highlights how law balances innovation with fair play.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Students_Can_Learn\"><\/span><b>What Students Can Learn<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For law students, those in business law programmes, this case offers many lessons:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pricing strategies are not just about numbers. They affect law, ethics, and consumer rights<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Competition law is not against low pricing. It only steps in when pricing is used to kill competition unfairly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A company must hold dominance in the market for predatory pricing for legal proceedings.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Students at the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/department\/department-of-law\"><b>top BBA LLB university in India<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> regularly use this case to connect theory with real-world business disputes. It also helps them to understand how courts and commissions interpret fair competition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Real-World_Impact\"><\/span><b>Real-World Impact<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Jio vs Airtel battle has changed the telecom sector forever. Customers benefited as data became cheaper. India became one of the world\u2019s largest data consumers after Jio made its entry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, many telecom companies faced losses and merged. Today, the market has only a few big players left.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This shows the double impact of aggressive competition. Customers enjoy lower prices, but smaller businesses cannot survive. Such discussions are a regular part of the classroom debates in every <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/department\/department-of-law\"><b>top BBA LLB university in India<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_This_Matters_for_BBA_LLB_Students\"><\/span><b>Why This Matters for BBA LLB Students<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For students opting for BBA LLB, this case is more than just a telecom dispute. It is about understanding how business strategies can cross paths with legal principles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Indian telecom sector contributes nearly<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.investindia.gov.in\/blogs\/opportunities-indian-telecommunication-sector\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6.5%<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to the Indian GDP, which shows the legal disputes in this sector can have a major economic impact.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When a student at the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/department\/department-of-law\"><b>top BBA LLB university in India<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> studies this case, they see how law protects business freedom as well as consumer welfare. This prepares them to think critically when they become corporate lawyers, policymakers, and legal advisors.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SRM_University_Delhi-NCR_Sonepat_%E2%80%93_A_Place_to_Learn_These_Lessons\"><\/span><b>SRM University Delhi-NCR, Sonepat \u2013 A Place to Learn These Lessons<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are interested in knowing more about cases like Reliance Jio vs Airtel, you need the right environment to study them deeply. At <strong>SRM University Delhi-NCR, Sonepat<\/strong>, students in the BBA LLB programme explore such real-world examples regularly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The learning here is not just about books. It is about open discussions, debates and connecting law with business. The faculty motivates students to look at big cases like Jio vs Airtel and ask, &#8216;What does this mean for the future of business law?&#8217;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many students select SRMUH as it provides students with a combination of business and legal education. It prepares students to face complex challenges with the required confidence. In the journey to become a skilled professional, learning at one of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/department\/department-of-law\"><b>top BBA LLB universities in India<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, like <strong>SRM University Delhi-NCR, Sonepat<\/strong>, can make a major difference.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs\"><\/span><b>FAQs<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_What_is_predatory_pricing_in_simple_words\"><\/span><b>1. What is predatory pricing in simple words?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Predatory pricing is when a company sells products and services at very low prices, often below cost, to push others out of the market.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Did_Reliance_Jio_use_predatory_pricing\"><\/span><b>2. Did Reliance Jio use predatory pricing?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Airtel claimed so, but the Competition Commission of India said Jio was not dominant in the market at that time, so it was not legally predatory pricing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Why_is_the_Reliance_Jio_vs_Airtel_case_important_for_students\"><\/span><b>3. Why is the Reliance Jio vs Airtel case important for students?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It shows how business strategies and law connect with each other. For BBA LLB students, it is a perfect example of how competition law works in real life.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction When we focus on the telecom<span class=\"excerpt-more\"><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4466,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-law"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4465"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4465\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4808,"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4465\/revisions\/4808"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}