Bengaluru-based ad-tech company InMobi has secured the naming rights to Ibbaluru Metro Station in Bengaluru for 30 years. Under the deal, the company will pay ₹65 crore to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). The station will now be known as InMobi Ibbaluru Metro Station.
The station is part of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) Metro corridor, also known as the Blue Line. It is currently under construction and is planned as an interchange between the Blue and Red Metro lines. Once the relevant routes become operational, the station is expected to improve travel for office workers and other passengers across this part of the city.
The deal is an important step for both InMobi and BMRCL. For the technology company, it offers a long-term public presence in the city where it began its journey. For the metro corporation, the agreement offers an additional source of income beyond passenger ticket sales.
The ₹65 crore deal also shows how private companies can support public infrastructure through brand partnerships. It comes at a time when InMobi is also working towards a possible public listing in India.
InMobi Secures 30-Year Naming Rights
Under the agreement, InMobi has secured the naming rights to Ibbaluru Metro Station for a period of 30 years. The total contractual commitment is ₹65 crore, excluding the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The station will carry the name InMobi Ibbaluru Metro Station. The agreement covers the naming rights as well as a contribution towards the station’s construction costs.
BMRCL signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with InMobi on November 3, 2026. BMRCL Managing Director P C Jaffer signed the agreement on behalf of the metro corporation. InMobi was represented by Subi Chaturvedi, its Global Senior Vice-President and Chief Corporate Affairs and Public Policy Officer.
The agreement gives InMobi a long-term brand presence at an important public transport location. At the same time, BMRCL gets financial support for its metro infrastructure work.
The 30-year term is a major part of the deal. It gives the company a long period of association with the station, while the metro corporation can use the agreement to support its wider development plans.
Why Is Ibbaluru Metro Station Important?
Ibbaluru Metro Station is part of Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road Metro corridor. The Blue Line section is a key part of the city’s metro expansion plan.
The Outer Ring Road is one of Bengaluru’s major business and technology areas. Several large IT companies and office campuses are located along this route. Thousands of employees travel through this area each day for work.
At present, road traffic can make daily travel difficult for many office workers. Metro services can offer another option and help people travel across the city with less dependence on private vehicles.
Ibbaluru station has an added role because it is planned as an interchange between the Blue and Red Metro lines. An interchange station allows passengers to move from one metro route to another without the need to travel by road.
The Blue Line is part of the Outer Ring Road corridor, while the planned Red Line will connect Hebbal and Sarjapur. The proposed connection at Ibbaluru could help passengers reach different parts of Bengaluru with greater ease.
The station is therefore important not only for people who work near the Outer Ring Road but also for passengers who need to travel between different parts of the city.
How Will the Deal Help BMRCL?
The ₹65 crore agreement will give BMRCL an additional source of income. This type of income is known as non-fare revenue.
Metro corporations earn money through passenger tickets. However, ticket sales are not their only source of income. They can also earn from advertisements, retail spaces, commercial licences and station naming rights.
Such deals allow metro authorities to raise funds without a direct increase in passenger fares. They also give private companies a chance to become part of public infrastructure projects.
BMRCL Managing Director P C Jaffer said the agreement would support metro infrastructure development and strengthen the corporation’s non-fare revenue efforts.
He also welcomed more partnerships with Bengaluru’s corporate sector. His statement reflects BMRCL’s plan to bring more private companies into the city’s public transport ecosystem.
Metro networks require large investments for construction, maintenance and future expansion. Income from sources other than tickets can help metro authorities meet some of these costs.
The InMobi deal is therefore useful for BMRCL because it combines a commercial partnership with financial support for public transport infrastructure.
Why Has InMobi Chosen Bengaluru?
InMobi has a strong connection with Bengaluru. The company began its journey in the city and has since grown into a global advertising technology business.
Its founder and CEO, Naveen Tewari, said Bengaluru gave the company the confidence to build a global future. He also said that the company feels a sense of responsibility towards the city that helped shape its journey.
According to Tewari, the partnership reflects InMobi’s wish to give back to Bengaluru. He also believes that businesses have a role in the development of the communities in which they operate.
For InMobi, the station deal is more than a brand promotion exercise. It creates a long-term association with a public service that thousands of people may use.
The company also gets a visible place in one of India’s major technology cities. Bengaluru is home to many technology companies, startups, investors and skilled professionals. A metro station in a major business corridor can offer a strong public presence.
The agreement also helps connect InMobi’s brand with the city’s future transport network.
InMobi’s Role in India’s Technology Sector
InMobi is one of India’s well-known advertising technology companies. It was founded by Naveen Tewari, Piyush Shah, Mohit Saxena and Abhay Singhal.
The company works in mobile advertising and technology that helps brands reach users through digital platforms. Its products help advertisers plan campaigns, reach the right audiences and assess the results of their marketing efforts.
InMobi has built its business beyond India and has a presence in international markets. Its growth has made it one of the major Indian technology companies with global operations.
The company’s association with Bengaluru remains an important part of its identity. The new metro agreement gives it another way to show its connection with the city.
It is also notable that a technology company, rather than a property developer, has secured naming rights to this station. This shows that such public infrastructure partnerships can attract companies from different sectors.
Other Companies Have Also Secured Bengaluru Metro Naming Rights
InMobi is not the first company to secure naming rights to a metro station along Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road corridor.
BMRCL has already entered into similar agreements with other corporate groups. Prestige Group has secured naming rights for Bellandur Metro Station. Embassy Group has secured rights for Kadubeesanahalli Metro Station, while Bagmane Group has secured rights for DRDO Sports Complex Metro Station.
These deals show that BMRCL is using corporate partnerships as one way to raise non-fare revenue.
The model is also present on other parts of Bengaluru’s metro network. On the Yellow Line, Biocon’s name is linked to Hebbagodi Metro Station, while Delta Electronics’ name is linked to Bommasandra Metro Station. Both agreements have a 30-year term.
Such partnerships give companies a public brand presence and help metro authorities earn additional income.
For BMRCL, the larger goal is to make better use of its stations and other assets. Commercial partnerships can support the financial needs of a growing public transport network.
InMobi’s Proposed IPO Plans
The metro naming rights deal comes as InMobi works towards a possible public listing in India.
The company had earlier explored an IPO plan, with reports in July 2024 that it was targeting a 2025 listing at a valuation of around $10 billion. However, that timeline passed without a public issue.
InMobi has appointed JPMorgan Chase, Jefferies, Kotak Mahindra Capital and Axis Capital as merchant bankers for its proposed IPO.
Earlier reports also placed the proposed issue size at around $1 billion. However, the company has yet to file its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP), which is a key document for a public issue.
The company has also made changes to its shareholding structure. In December 2025, InMobi’s co-founders bought back around 25-30% of the company from early investor SoftBank. This reduced SoftBank’s stake from about 35% to less than 8%.
The transaction was supported by $350 million in debt from Varde Partners, Elham Credit Partners and SeaTown Holdings.
In 2026, private equity firm True North reportedly acquired a 2-3% stake through a secondary transaction valued at around $50-60 million. The deal also gave some early investors a partial exit.
These developments show that InMobi has taken steps to prepare its business and ownership structure for a possible public market debut. However, the IPO date and final terms remain unconfirmed.
InMobi Continues to Expand Its Business
Apart from its plans for a public listing, InMobi has also worked to expand its advertising technology business.
In May 2026, the company acquired MobileAction, a San Francisco-based mobile app marketing and analytics platform.
The deal was aimed at strengthening InMobi’s capabilities in app discovery, user acquisition and advertising optimisation.
MobileAction’s technology helps app developers understand how users find and download apps. It also offers tools that can help businesses improve their app marketing efforts.
The acquisition adds to InMobi’s existing technology capabilities and supports its wider business plans.
The company has therefore taken steps across several areas, from business expansion to ownership changes and public brand partnerships. The Ibbaluru Metro deal is another part of this wider business strategy.
What Does the Deal Mean for Bengaluru’s Future?
The InMobi agreement highlights a useful way for private companies to support public transport projects.
Bengaluru is one of India’s largest technology and business centres. Its population and daily travel needs have grown over the years. This has placed more pressure on roads and other public transport systems.
Metro expansion can help address some of these issues by offering a faster and more reliable travel option across major parts of the city.
However, large transport projects require substantial funds. Partnerships with private companies can help metro authorities secure extra income and support infrastructure work.
For passengers, the main benefit will come from better metro access and improved connections between different routes. The InMobi name on the station may also make the company more visible to people who use the network.
The real value of this partnership will depend on the successful completion of the station and the wider metro corridor.
Conclusion
InMobi’s ₹65 crore deal with BMRCL for 30-year naming rights to Ibbaluru Metro Station marks an important partnership between India’s technology sector and public transport infrastructure.
The station will be known as InMobi Ibbaluru Metro Station and will form part of Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road Blue Line corridor. Its planned role as an interchange between the Blue and Red lines makes it an important part of the city’s future metro network.
For BMRCL, the agreement offers additional non-fare revenue and support for metro infrastructure. For InMobi, it creates a long-term connection with Bengaluru, the city where the company began its journey.
The deal also comes at a key time for InMobi as it prepares for a possible IPO in India and expands its advertising technology business.
Overall, the partnership shows how companies can support public infrastructure while also building a stronger connection with the cities that shape their success.
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