Bharti Airtel and the Tata Group’s telecom arms have paid the first instalment of their adjusted gross revenue (AGR) liabilities, having exhausted attempts to secure relief from the government.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has received over Rs 130 billion, comprising around Rs 92 billion from Bharti Airtel and about Rs 41 billion from Tata Teleservices. While March 31, 2026 was the last date for payment, it falling on a government holiday meant the companies made the payment on Monday. The payment was required under a Supreme Court directive, and any delay would have been treated as contempt of court.
Bharti Airtel’s AGR dues stood at Rs 510.91 billion as of 31 December 2025, according to the communications ministry, while those of Tata Group companies, comprising Tata Teleservices and Tata Tele Maharashtra, stood at Rs 204.26 billion. So far, Bharti Airtel has paid around Rs 190 billion in total, and the Tata Group has paid Rs 41.97 billion. Repayments for both companies commenced this March.
