On 4th May 2026, Oakley and Meta made it official. Virat Kohli is the face of Oakley Meta Performance AI glasses in India.

The timing was deliberate. The IPL season was in full swing. Cricket was everywhere. And into that moment, Oakley and Meta took the next step. Building on the success of Ray-Ban Meta, they brought AI eyewear into the world of athletic performance for the first time in India.

Glasses with a built-in camera. Open-ear speakers. A Meta AI assistant. Real-time performance insights. All designed to sit on your face and stay out of your way.

This is not a gimmick. This is where eyewear is heading. And India just got its official introduction.

Here is everything you need to know.

1. The India Launch: Athletic Intelligence Meets Cricket Season

Oakley and Meta chose India’s most recognised sporting icon to carry the message. Virat Kohli, known for his intensity, discipline, and precision, was the obvious choice for a product positioned entirely around performance and focus.

The campaign centres on a simple but powerful idea. What if your glasses could help you train smarter, capture your best moments hands-free, and give you real-time insights, all without pulling your attention away from what you are doing?

Kohli’s own words from the campaign sum it up well.

The campaign rolls out in phases across digital platforms. Audiences get a first-person view into Kohli’s world, training sessions, match preparation, and behind-the-scenes moments, all captured through the glasses themselves.

Sandhya Devanathan, Vice President for India and South East Asia at Meta, described the vision behind the India launch.

Both the Oakley Meta HSTN and Vanguard collections are available at leading optical stores across India. The HSTN starts at INR 41,800. The Vanguard starts at INR 52,300.

2. The Two Products: HSTN and Vanguard

Oakley Meta HSTN: Performance Meets Everyday Style

The HSTN (pronounced HOW-stuhn) launched globally in August 2025 and arrived in India as part of the Kohli campaign rollout.

It is built for the athlete who wants performance tech in a frame they can wear all day. The design is bold, sport-forward, and unmistakably Oakley. The technology inside it is anything but ordinary.

Key features:

• 12MP camera with 3K Ultra HD video capture, completely hands-free
• Powerful open-ear speakers integrated into the frame arms
• Meta AI is built in and activated by saying “Hey Meta”
• 8 hours of battery life in typical use, 50% charge in 20 minutes
• Charging case delivers an additional 48 hours of power on the go
• IPX4 rating for sweat and splash resistance
• Available with prescription lenses, clear lenses, sunnies, or Transitions
• Six frame and lens colour combinations, including PRIZM lens options

The HSTN is designed for the active lifestyle consumer. Athletes, fitness enthusiasts, commuters, and anyone who wants AI-powered glasses that work as hard as they do.

Oakley Meta Vanguard: Built for High-Intensity Sport

The Vanguard arrived at Meta Connect in September 2025 and launched in October. It is a step up in both performance and price.

Where the HSTN suits everyday activity, the Vanguard is purpose-built for runners, cyclists, snowboarders, and athletes who train at high intensity in demanding environments.

Key features:

• 12MP camera with 122-degree wide-angle lens and 3K UHD video
• Unified wraparound front lens design optimised for sport
• 9 hours of battery life with 36 hours additional from the charging case
• IP67 rating for full dust and water resistance, the highest on any Meta glasses
• Open-ear speakers are 6dB louder than the HSTN, cutting through wind and noise
• Five-microphone array with wind noise reduction for calls and voice commands
• Garmin and Strava integration for real-time performance metrics by voice
• Oakley Three-Point Fit system with three interchangeable nose pads
• Helmet-compatible design for cycling and snow sports
• Programmable button for custom Meta AI prompts

The Vanguard can ask your Garmin for your heart rate mid-run, auto-generate a highlight reel of your ride with performance metrics overlaid, and capture slow-motion and hyperlapse footage entirely hands-free.

Oakley Meta HSTN vs Vanguard: At a Glance

3. The Full Meta Eyewear Portfolio: A Category Being Built

The Oakley Meta launch is not a standalone product story. It is the latest chapter in a deliberate, multi-year build by Meta and EssilorLuxottica to create an entirely new eyewear category.

To understand where Oakley Meta fits, it helps to see the full picture.

The Meta Smart Eyewear Portfolio

The portfolio spans three distinct consumer segments. Ray-Ban Meta serves the fashion and lifestyle consumer who wants smart features in a classic frame. Oakley Meta serves the active and performance consumer. Ray-Ban Meta Display serves the tech-forward consumer who wants an augmented reality experience.

Every product in the range is built on the same foundation: Meta AI, open-ear audio, a built-in camera, and the manufacturing expertise of EssilorLuxottica.

What this means:  Meta is not building a single smart glasses product. It is building a smart glasses ecosystem across lifestyle, performance, and augmented reality, using the world’s most recognised eyewear brands as the delivery vehicle.

4. What Meta AI Actually Does in These Glasses

The technology at the heart of every Oakley Meta product is Meta AI, Meta’s built-in AI assistant.

Activated by saying “Hey Meta”, the assistant can:

• Answer questions in real time, hands-free, from weather to directions to sport-specific queries
• Control the camera with voice commands, record video, take photos, and start a live stream
• Play music, podcasts, and audio content through the open-ear speakers
• Make calls and send messages without touching your phone
• Deliver real-time performance data via Garmin integration on the Vanguard
• Auto-generate highlight reels with performance metrics overlaid, ready to share

The key differentiator from a smartwatch or phone is the absence of a screen. All interaction happens through voice and audio. The glasses add intelligence to your day without demanding your attention.

Kohli’s campaign phrase captures this precisely: the glasses add insight “without getting in the way.” That is the entire design philosophy.

5. Where to Buy in India and What to Expect

Both the Oakley Meta HSTN and Vanguard are available at leading optical stores across India.

To use either pair of glasses, you need:

• A smartphone running Android 10 or above or iOS 14.4 or above
• The Meta AI app was downloaded and set up
• Location services enabled on Android

Both models are available with prescription lens upgrades. The HSTN supports clear lenses, sunglass tints, and Transitions. The Vanguard also supports prescription and Transitions options.

For consumers who need vision correction, the ability to combine a prescription with AI-powered smart glasses is a genuine advance. It means you do not have to choose between seeing clearly and accessing performance technology.

The Bigger Picture

The Virat Kohli campaign is more than a celebrity endorsement. It is a signal.

Oakley and Meta chose India deliberately. They chose cricket season deliberately. They chose Kohli deliberately. A product about focus, performance, and staying present in the moment needs an ambassador who embodies exactly those qualities.

Athletic Intelligence has arrived. And it looks very good from the crease.