Summary:
Telecom operators owed the government more than Rs 1.4 lakh crore in AGR dues as of March 31, 2026, Parliament was informed. Vodafone Idea had the highest outstanding amount at Rs 66,149 crore, followed by Bharti Airtel, Tata Group and MTNL, while BSNL had no dues. The government noted that the figures may change based on assessments, audits, company representations and court proceedings, with a significant portion linked to Vodafone Idea’s restructuring package.
Telecom operators collectively owed the government more than Rs 1.4 lakh crore in adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues as of March 31, 2026, Parliament was informed on Thursday. In a written response to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Telecom Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar clarified that the outstanding AGR amount could change based on representations from telecom service providers, departmental assessments, audit findings and ongoing court cases.
According to the government data, Vodafone Idea had the largest outstanding dues at Rs 66,149 crore, followed by Bharti Airtel with Rs 41,178.58 crore, Tata Group with Rs 16,649.77 crore and MTNL with Rs 14,870.39 crore. BSNL, meanwhile, had no outstanding AGR dues. The minister said Rs 1,18,550.45 crore of the AGR dues relates to the moratorium and restructuring package provided to Vodafone Idea.
Telecom operators are required to share a portion of their revenue from telecom services with the government as AGR. This amount is calculated from gross revenue after excluding certain components, including rentals and pass-through charges.
