Pay Rs 6,091 cr guarantee or Rs 5,493 cr cash by Mar 10: DoT to Voda Idea

The Department of Telecom (DoT) has asked debt-ridden telecom operator Vodafone Idea to either deposit a bank guarantee of Rs 6,090.7 crore or Rs 5,493.2 crore in cash for shortfall of aggregate payment made for spectrum the company acquired in 2015, the company said.

The company, however, is in discussion with the DoT to pay the dues through equity.

"The aggregate payment made by the company for each of spectrum auctions are greater than the pro-rated use of spectrum other than for the 2015 auction, where there is one-time partial shortfall and DoT has requested either to provide bank guarantee of Rs 60,907 million (Rs 6,090.7 crore) for one year or make a cash payment of Rs 54,932 million (Rs 5,493.2 crore) by March 10, 2025," Vodafone Idea Non-Executive Director Himanshu Kapania said in a note.

As on December 2024, the outstanding debt from banks (including interest accrued but not due) of the group is Rs 2,345.1 crore and deferred payment obligation towards spectrum payable over the years till FY 2044 and AGR (including interest accrued but not due) payable over the years till FY 2031 of the group aggregates to over Rs 2.27 lakh crore.

"The company continues to be in discussions with DoT and has requested to arrive at a solution for this requirement as envisaged in the telecom reforms package 2021," Kapania said.

Vodafone Idea (VIL) has obligations to clear Rs 1,200 crore loan from banks and Rs 2,188.6 crore towards spectrum dues by December 31, 2025. 

The installments related to spectrum and adjusted gross revenue (AGR) instalment falling due during FY26 and shortfall related to the 2015 spectrum auction aggregate to Rs 32,723.5 crore.

Kapania said in case there is any shortfall in payment to the government then the company expects it to be converted into equity.

The government is the largest single shareholder in Vodafone Idea with 23.15 per cent stake as of December 31, 2024.

VIL Promoters -- Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Group -- hold 14.76 per cent and 22.56 per cent stake in the company, respectively.

Vodafone Idea on Tuesday reported narrowing of losses to Rs 6,609.3 crore during the December quarter, as the debt-laden telco clinched a sequential rise in ARPU.

The revenue from operations stood at Rs 11,117.3 crore during the quarter, over 4 per cent higher than the corresponding period last year.