RIL to invest Rs 1 lakh cr in core biz in next 4-5 yrs

Addressing company shareholders, RIL Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said new projects in petrochemicals and refinery business would come online in the next 2 to 3 years.

Investments in refinery downstream would add 30-40 per cent to margins while retail business would be a significant and profitable business for RIL within 3 years, he said.

He said 4G commercial rollout plans are being finalised even as the company bets big on shale gas production with output projected to grow ten times in five years from current 30 billion cubic feet.

"Even after this investment of Rs 100,000 crore, our balance sheet will be the strongest not only in India but in the world," he said.

Ambani said while the main natural gas reservoir in the eastern offshore KG-D6 has proved to be difficult to produce, the company is pinning hope on satellite fields in the area to ramp up output to 60 million standard cubic meters per day on a sustained basis.

"We currently finalising plans to offer nationwide digital services," he said.

He said India's current economic woes are temporary saying he had full confidence in the nation's economic resilience to overcome difficulties and emerge stronger.