Described by the companies as a global first, Bharti Airtel has collaborated with the digital powerhouse Adobe to offer Adobe Express Premium free for the first year to its total customer base numbering about 360 million users in India. Both companies are positioning this, which was announced on January 29, 2026, as a first-of-its-kind global offering – a blend of connectivity and creativity and artificial intelligence (AI) tools, which is aimed at democratising content creation to millions of users.
A Game-Changing Offer for Airtel Customers
Airtel mobile, broadband (Wi-Fi) and DTH clients will receive 12 months of free access to Adobe Express Premium, worth about ₹4,000 per year under the partnership. Notably, users will be able to activate the offer without providing credit card-related data, a measure that will help to remove friction and make the application widely adopted.
The subscription can be activated easily on the Airtel Thanks application by entering the Rewards/OTTs section and completing the instructions on-screen. After activation, the users are ready to start using Adobe Express in platforms immediately.
Adobe Express Premium: Creator Economy Tools
Adobe Express Premium is positioned as a one-stop solution to creating the professional level of graphics, short videos, social media posts, flyers, invitations among others without necessarily having to exert great design knowledge. The platform is highly focused on artificial intelligence and user-friendliness, so it is open to creators of any professional level.
The subscription contained the following key features:
- Thousands of Professional Templates -These templates were created to be use in all kinds of applications such as Indian festivals, weddings, local business promotions and social campaigns.
- AI-Powered Capabilities – Background eraser, custom image generation, one-tap video editing and auto captions make the creative process more efficient.
- Premium Adobe Stock Assets -High-quality images, videos and design elements.
- Over 30,000 Professional Fonts — Adding creative depth to text and designs.
- 100GB Cloud Storage — Safe, scalable storage for creative projects.
- Cross-Device Sync + Watermark-Free Exports — Guaranteeing cross-device and professional work without watermarks.
- Multi-Language Support – Express is in English, Hindi, Tamil and Bengali and this is indicative of the fact Airtel has put an emphasis on inclusivity of local language.
With the strength of design-related tools and the capabilities of AI, Adobe Express helps users to design high-impact content quickly without having to resort to more complex or expensive software.
Voices from the Partnership
Bharti Airtel officials stressed the bigger picture in this union. CEO (Connected Homes) and Marketing Director of Airtel, Siddharth Sharma explained that the partnership is not just about technology but has the power to equip millions of Indians with advanced AI to create and innovate. He observed that the offer favors users as students who are creating their first resumes to small business people who are creating marketing content.
On Adobe’s side, David Wadhwani, President of Digital Media, mentioned that the collaboration is geared towards fast tracking the dynamic creator economy of India. According to him, it is possible to enable millions of individuals in India to create exceptional content by offering Adobe Express Premium to them free of charge in order to accelerate career growth, spur business growth, or pursue creative interests.
Strategic Situation: Telecoms and Digital Bundling
The bundling approach of Airtel is not the only example of the trend in the telecom industry where the firms are no longer only providing connectivity services, but digital products that add value, serve as a source of stickiness as well as daily use. A similar growth strategy Airtel already launched bundled access to Perplexity AI services in the past. Other rivals such as Reliance Jio have also explored the option of forming partnerships where users can access Google Gemini AI model free of charge under specific categories of users. Such actions depict how the telcos are utilizing AI, productivity and creator tools in order to cut across an overcrowded market.
Instead of just being associated with entertainment or content streaming packages telecom operators are now embracing platforms which promote active creation, learning and productivity. This shift is designed to improve engagement and build long-term loyalty through the incorporation of actively used digital tools which are actively utilised – a critical shift in the direction of connectivity becoming more commoditised.
Potential Implications on the Users and Businesses
This joint venture can be of great advantages to the users, particularly creators, students and small business owners:
- Very simple access to professional level design and no learning curve as to use of traditional software.
- Marketing and building presence of small businesses on digital platforms.
- Fast development of short video and image production on social media, to increase individual and professional presence.
- Promotion of digital skills to students as well as hobbyists.
In the case of Airtel, the relocation enhances customer interaction, builds brand equity and makes the company a complete digital partner and not a conventional connectivity company.
Looking Ahead
The partnership will probably be a central example of how telecommunication service providers and software digital companies can manage to establish stronger digital ecosystems. With the increasing numbers of people migrating to the usage of AI enhanced creative tools, there is a possibility of a significant surge in digital content creation all over India – an additional boost to the creator economy of the country.
The offer is to be activated between January 29, 2026 and January 28, 2027, and the users are advised to take advantage of it early using the Airtel Thanks app before the promotional period ends.
