VIL AGR dues final verdict likely in 3-4 months
Dues of 13 legacy entities under VIL umbrella to be recalculated by DoT, independent committee to settle disputes
- Jan 2, 2026,
- Updated Jan 2, 2026 1:34 PM IST
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has initiated a technical audit of Vodafone Idea Limited’s (VIL) Rs 87,695 crore debt, under a new administrative roadmap, with officials directed to identify any arithmetical errors and double-counting of revenues across 13 legacy entities spanning a 15-year period.
The DoT’s recalculation is likely to account for the historical revenues of 13 entities, including the core entities Idea Cellular Ltd & Vodafone India Ltd and other subsidiaries and acquired companies. The list includes Vodafone Mobile Services Ltd (VMSL), Spice Communications (acquired by Idea in 2008), Aditya Birla Telecom Ltd (ABTL), Vodafone South, West and East Ltd, Vodafone Digilink Ltd, Vodafone Cellular Ltd, You Broadband India Ltd, Idea Cellular Infrastructure Services and Idea Telesystems Ltd among others.
Officials told Business Today that in order to ensure a fair resolution, ''the government is in the process of constituting an independent committee that will serve as the mediator for any disputes in the matter and expect a final resolution in next 3-4 months.''
While the DoT conducts the forensic math, this committee will be tasked with resolving any specific disputes that arise between the department and VIL during the recalculation.
Officials indicate that this structured process is intended to deliver a final, binding verdict on the corrected debt figure within the next three to four months, providing the long-term balance-sheet clarity required for the cash-strapped telco to finalize its essential capital infusion.
This administrative push follows the Union Cabinet's landmark decision on December 31, 2025, to freeze the company's AGR dues at Rs 87,695 crore with an extension for repayment of these frozen dues over a ten-year period from 2031-32 to 2040-41.
Bolstered by Supreme Court judgments in late 2025, this move clarifies that the reconsideration of such dues falls squarely within the government's policy domain, especially in light of the state's substantial 49% equity stake.
While the frozen legacy dues undergo reassessment by the DoT based on the 2020 Deduction Verification Guidelines, the government clarified that the AGR dues for 2017-18 and 2018-19 remain finalized and paid as scheduled between 2025-26 and 2030-31.
The government also reiterated that these collective steps are designed to safeguard the government's investment, preserve competition, and ensure that VIL can eventually meet its spectrum and statutory obligations in an orderly manner.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has initiated a technical audit of Vodafone Idea Limited’s (VIL) Rs 87,695 crore debt, under a new administrative roadmap, with officials directed to identify any arithmetical errors and double-counting of revenues across 13 legacy entities spanning a 15-year period.
The DoT’s recalculation is likely to account for the historical revenues of 13 entities, including the core entities Idea Cellular Ltd & Vodafone India Ltd and other subsidiaries and acquired companies. The list includes Vodafone Mobile Services Ltd (VMSL), Spice Communications (acquired by Idea in 2008), Aditya Birla Telecom Ltd (ABTL), Vodafone South, West and East Ltd, Vodafone Digilink Ltd, Vodafone Cellular Ltd, You Broadband India Ltd, Idea Cellular Infrastructure Services and Idea Telesystems Ltd among others.
Officials told Business Today that in order to ensure a fair resolution, ''the government is in the process of constituting an independent committee that will serve as the mediator for any disputes in the matter and expect a final resolution in next 3-4 months.''
While the DoT conducts the forensic math, this committee will be tasked with resolving any specific disputes that arise between the department and VIL during the recalculation.
Officials indicate that this structured process is intended to deliver a final, binding verdict on the corrected debt figure within the next three to four months, providing the long-term balance-sheet clarity required for the cash-strapped telco to finalize its essential capital infusion.
This administrative push follows the Union Cabinet's landmark decision on December 31, 2025, to freeze the company's AGR dues at Rs 87,695 crore with an extension for repayment of these frozen dues over a ten-year period from 2031-32 to 2040-41.
Bolstered by Supreme Court judgments in late 2025, this move clarifies that the reconsideration of such dues falls squarely within the government's policy domain, especially in light of the state's substantial 49% equity stake.
While the frozen legacy dues undergo reassessment by the DoT based on the 2020 Deduction Verification Guidelines, the government clarified that the AGR dues for 2017-18 and 2018-19 remain finalized and paid as scheduled between 2025-26 and 2030-31.
The government also reiterated that these collective steps are designed to safeguard the government's investment, preserve competition, and ensure that VIL can eventually meet its spectrum and statutory obligations in an orderly manner.