Airtel to pay interest on deferred liabilities to govt, not to issue equity

The company informed the DoT that it will not avail the option of conversion of interest on deferred spectrum and AGR dues into equity.

Bharti Airtel will pay interest on the deferred spectrum and adjusted gross revenue (AGR) liabilities, and will not issue equity to the government, the telecom major said on Friday.

The company has informed the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) that it will not avail the option of conversion of interest on these dues into equity, it said in a notification to the stock exchanges.

Airtel owes the government around Rs 1 trillion in spectrum and AGR dues as of now.

The government announced last year a slew of measures to protect the financial health of telecom companies. These included a four-year moratorium on the