According to a written reply to Rajya Sabha by the minister of state for communications and rural development, as of March 31, 2025, the total adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues owed by Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi), Reliance Jio, Mahanagar Tephone Nigam Limited (MTNL), and the Tata Group amount to Rs 1,668.25 billion. Telecom companies are required to clear these dues in six equal instalments by March 31, 2026, as mandated by the Supreme Court’s 2020 ruling that upheld the government’s broader definition of AGR.
To provide relief amid financial stress, the government granted a four-year moratorium starting in October 2021, with payments scheduled to resume in annual tranches.
Vi bears the largest share of AGR dues, with liabilities estimated between Rs 770 and Rs 834 billion, out of its total debt exceeding Rs 1.9 trillion. Airtel’s AGR dues also remain substantial, with over Rs 510 billion deferred as of 2024-25, and payments due starting March 2026. In contrast, Jio reportedly has negligible or no outstanding AGR dues. MTNL and the Tata Group also contribute to the sector’s liabilities, though to a lesser extent.
