Vodafone Idea plans major debt raise for network boost
Vodafone Idea, India's third-biggest mobile operator, is seeking to raise between ₹30,000 and ₹40,000 crore from Indian and global lenders.
This follows the government freezing its massive AGR dues at ₹87,695 crore till 2035—a move that gives the company some breathing room to invest in better networks, though it still faces significant spectrum payment obligations.
How much are they borrowing—and why?
The plan is to raise ₹5,000 crore right away for operational expenses and line up another ₹30,000 crore specifically for upgrading their network.
With a new repayment schedule in place, Vodafone Idea will pay back smaller annual amounts (₹124 crore a year from 2026-2031; ₹100 crore a year from 2032-2035), with the rest spread out till 2041.
Who actually owns Vodafone Idea?
Vodafone Idea was created when Vodafone's India business merged with Aditya Birla Group's Idea Cellular back in 2018.
Now, the Indian government owns almost half (49%) of it—while Vodafone Group Plc and Aditya Birla Group hold most of what's left.
The company competes head-to-head with Airtel and Jio for your calls and data across India.