Airtel in talks with govt to reassess AGR dues calculation: Sunil Bharti Mittal

Sunil Bharti Mittal (file image)

• Bharti Airtel requests DoT to recalculate AGR dues post Vodafone Idea reassessment.
• AGR recalculation may lower Airtel's dues and reduce penalties
• Airtel's AGR liability is Rs 48,103 crore; payments begin March 2026.

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Bharti Airtel has formally requested the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to recalculate its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues, Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal told CNBC-TV-18 on Thursday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Bharti Airtel's move comes after the government's decision to reassess similar obligations for competitor Vodafone Idea.

Speaking to CNBC-TV-18 in Davos, Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal confirmed the company's ongoing discussions with authorities regarding the recalculation. The move could significantly lower the principal amount owed and reduce compounding penalties for the telecom company.

"We are only saying take what is due," Mittal stated during the conversation at the global economic summit.

"I don't think any government would want to take more money than it is due," he added.

According to DoT records, Bharti Airtel's current AGR liability stands at Rs 48,103 crore. The company is scheduled to commence payments from March 2026 following the completion of a four-year moratorium period.

Mittal's remarks follow recent government action on Vodafone Idea's AGR obligations. The Union Cabinet last month fixed Vodafone Idea's AGR dues at Rs 87,695 crore as of December 31, 2025, and greenlit a structured payment schedule permitting the operator to settle these amounts between the fiscal years 2032 and 2041.

The telecom department initiated a reassessment of Vodafone Idea's AGR dues last week, covering the period spanning fiscal year 2007 through fiscal year 2019.

The AGR issue has been a longstanding challenge for India's telecommunications sector, with operators and the government locked in disputes over the calculation methodology and the inclusion of non-telecom revenues in the liability assessment. The recalculation exercise represents a potential breakthrough in resolving these complex financial obligations that have weighed heavily on the industry's balance sheets.