Bharti Airtel and Bharti Hexacom have jointly approached the Supreme Court seeking relief in the ongoing adjusted gross revenue (AGR) case, joining Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi) in calling for judicial intervention to avert further financial strain on the telecom sector.
In their petition, the companies argued that mounting AGR liabilities are hampering their ability to invest in critical telecom infrastructure.
They reiterated their commitment to supporting the government’s digital infrastructure agenda, which is vital for the country’s broader economic growth. According to the filing, the Bharti group has paid around Rs 750 billion in licence fees and spectrum usage charges over the past decade, along with approximately Rs 220 billion in goods and services tax (GST) during financial year 2024-25 (FY25).
Initially, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) estimated Airtel’s AGR dues at Rs 92.35 billion. However, the figure rose sharply to Rs 439.80 billion after including interest, penalties, and interest on penalties. As of March 31, 2025, despite cumulative payments of Rs 180 billion, including an ad hoc Rs 50 billion, the outstanding dues stand at Rs 383.97 billion, as per DoT’s latest assessment.
