The application will be available on the JioPhone Prima 4G device and is positioned as a comprehensive mobile banking solution tailored for users who do not use smartphones.
According to the announcement, the initiative aligns with broader financial inclusion goals supported by the Government of India and the Reserve Bank of India.
Unlike standard mobile banking apps that require smartphones, bob World Lite has been developed with a lightweight architecture to function on feature phones, offering keypad-based navigation and low-bandwidth usage. The app is designed to enable basic banking services such as UPI-enabled payments, including scan and pay, money transfers, bill payments, recharges, and profile management.
The service will be pre-installed on JioPhone Prima 4G devices and accessible from the home screen. Existing users of the device will also be able to download the application through JioStore. The app will support onboarding for both Bank of Baroda customers and users of other banks through a self-registration process.
Bank of Baroda said the initiative is intended to extend digital banking beyond smartphone users and improve access in semi-urban and rural regions. “Our partnership with Jio to launch bob World Lite is a significant step towards extending digital banking beyond the smartphone ecosystem,” said Debadatta Chand, Managing Director & CEO of Bank of Baroda.
Reliance Jio said the collaboration builds on its efforts to expand digital services through affordable devices.
“We are bringing full-featured banking to JioPhone users across the country seamlessly, securely, and in a way that is built around their needs,” said Sunil Dutt, President, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited.
The companies said the initiative combines Jio’s telecom reach with Bank of Baroda’s banking network to widen access to digital financial services across India.
(Disclaimer: CNBC-TV18 is a part of the Network18 group. Network18 is controlled by Independent Media Trust, of which Reliance Industries is the sole beneficiary.)
