JioHotstar Goes Global: UK, Canada and Singapore Become First Targets in Major OTT Expansion
MUMBAI: JioHotstar has launched its streaming service in the United Kingdom, Canada and Singapore, marking the platform’s first international expansion under the JioHotstar brand and a major step in taking Indian entertainment to overseas audiences.
The JioHotstar Global rollout began on September 2, with the company offering more than 160,000 hours of content across more than 12 languages. The service is aimed particularly at the South Asian diaspora while also targeting international viewers interested in Indian stories and multilingual entertainment, JioStar announced.
Three countries mark the first international push
The JioHotstar Global launch replaces the existing Hotstar service in the UK, Canada and Singapore. The platform is available through mobile devices and connected televisions, with existing Hotstar users able to transition to JioHotstar using their existing credentials.
The OTT Expansion is a significant shift for a brand that was created in India after JioCinema and Disney’s Hotstar were brought together following the Reliance-Disney media joint venture.
JioHotstar is entering three markets with a substantial South Asian audience and a long-established demand for Indian television, films and regional programming.
More than 160,000 hours of entertainment
The international service will offer television, films, regional programming, non-fiction, children’s content and anime. JioStar said more than 30,000 hours of fresh content will be added annually across the three new markets.
The JioHotstar Global catalogue includes original programming and popular Indian entertainment franchises, while the service is also introducing personalised recommendations and interactive features.
The international offering, however, does not include the full live-sports catalogue available to JioHotstar users in India at launch. Existing international content arrangements mean some major sports properties cannot immediately be carried on the new service.
That distinction makes the OTT Expansion notably different from JioHotstar’s Indian strategy, where live sports has played a major role in attracting viewers.
Interactive features are part of the strategy
JioStar is also using the launch to introduce interactive features for international audiences. Viewers in Singapore will be able to vote during multiple editions of Bigg Boss, while audiences in Canada and Singapore will receive access to a 24/7 live stream for the franchise.
The JioHotstar Global service will also carry new programming and selected television content from JioStar channels.
In the UK, JioHotstar is also available through Sky Q, Sky Glass and Sky Stream, expanding the service beyond direct-to-consumer mobile and television apps.
New subscription plans for overseas viewers
The OTT Expansion comes with country-specific quarterly and annual plans. In the UK, JioHotstar is priced at £19.99 quarterly and £69.99 annually. In Canada, the plans cost C$19.99 quarterly and C$49.99 annually.
Singapore subscribers can pay S$29.98 for a quarterly plan or S$69.98 annually.
The pricing keeps the international offering focused on premium Indian entertainment, with the company seeking to attract diaspora audiences while competing for viewers in crowded global streaming markets.
What JioHotstar is betting on
For JioHotstar Global, the immediate challenge is not simply entering markets where Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other streaming platforms already operate. Its strategy is built around offering a large, multilingual Indian content library under one service.
The OTT Expansion therefore represents more than a change of branding from Hotstar. JioStar is now testing whether the scale and technology behind its Indian streaming platform can attract audiences well beyond India.
The success of the UK, Canada and Singapore launch could determine how quickly JioHotstar moves into additional international markets.
