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Jio Platforms vs Bharti Airtel shares: Which telecom stock to buy after Reliance arm’s IPO listing? Experts suggestions

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Jio Platforms surged nearly 28% from its ₹1,119 issue price upon listing, driving its overall market capitalisation to nearly ₹13.18 lakh crore. The firm boasts 53 crore subscribers and digital initiatives across cloud, artificial intelligence, and enterprise services awaiting monetization. Meanwhile, Bharti Airtel counters this sheer scale with a structurally higher average revenue per user, superior free cash flow, and a track record of driving sector tariff hikes. Experts recommend evaluating long-term earnings visibility and cash flow yields before committing fresh capital.

Key points

  • Jio's massive valuation and economic scale may significantly restrict rapid future equity…: Jio's massive valuation and economic scale may significantly restrict rapid future equity outperformance.
  • Bharti Airtel provides superior earnings visibility through higher user revenue and disci…: Bharti Airtel provides superior earnings visibility through higher user revenue and disciplined capital allocation.
  • Investors should carefully analyze multi-year cash flow yields rather than buying simply…: Investors should carefully analyze multi-year cash flow yields rather than buying simply due to listing momentum.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

The listing of Jio Platforms has put the spotlight on India’s telecom sector, with investors now weighing whether the newly listed Reliance Industries-backed company or established rival Bharti Airtel offers a better investment opportunity.

Jio Platforms shares have surged nearly 28% from their issue price of ₹1,119 since making their market debut on Wednesday, 28 October, taking its market capitalisation to nearly ₹13.18 lakh crore and making it India’s second-most valuable listed company after Reliance Industries. The strong debut and subsequent gains follow an IPO that attracted bids for 22.19 times the shares on offer.

Bharti Airtel, meanwhile, has built a strong long-term track record, with its shares delivering returns of 586.10% over the past decade and 187.07% over five years. However, the stock remains down 6.64% so far in 2026. With Jio commanding a substantial valuation and Airtel offering an established earnings track record, which telecom stock should investors consider now? Experts weigh in on their growth prospects, valuations and investment appeal.

The listing of Reliance Industries’ telecom arm Jio has brought the comparison with Bharti Airtel into sharper…

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