Financial Performance Overview
Bharti Airtel Limited reported exceptional financial results for FY 2025-26, with consolidated revenue reaching ₹2.11 trillion, representing 36% year-over-year growth. The company achieved EBITDA of ₹1.21 trillion and net profit of ₹266.95 billion. On a standalone basis, revenue stood at ₹1.21 trillion with 11.5% growth, EBITDAaL margin at 51.4%, and net profit of ₹137.45 billion.
Dividend Declaration and Capital Management
The Board recommended a final dividend of ₹24 per fully paid-up equity share and ₹6 per partly paid-up share, marking a 50% increase over the previous year. The record date is set for July 24, 2026, with payment within 30 days of AGM approval. The company demonstrated strong capital management with net debt-to-EBITDAaL improving to 0.8x from 1.5x previously, and operating free cash flow of ₹604.24 billion.
Operational Excellence and Strategic Initiatives
Mobile services in India reached 373.2 million customers, including 188 million 5G customers with ARPU at industry-leading ₹257. The homes business added 4.2 million net customers, reaching 14.2 million total with 41.7% YoY growth. Africa operations showed robust performance with 183.5 million customers and 24.0% constant currency revenue growth.
Strategic highlights include RBI approval for Airtel Money NBFC operations, expansion of 5G infrastructure with 164,575 sites across 7,387 towns, partnership with SpaceX for satellite connectivity in 14 African markets, and AI-powered anti-spam solutions blocking 3.5 billion spam SMSes.
Leadership and Governance Changes
Effective January 1, 2026, Gopal Vittal transitioned to Executive Vice Chairman while Shashwat Sharma was appointed as Managing Director & CEO for Bharti Airtel India. The company amended shareholder agreements with Bharti Telecom and Pastel Limited to streamline governance framework. The Board comprises 12 members with 25% gender diversity and 6 Independent Directors.
ESG and Sustainability Performance
Bharti Airtel demonstrated strong ESG progress with 20.4% women workforce representation, 42,000 solar-enabled network sites, 62% of sites classified as 'green', and 17% reduction in Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions YoY. Renewable energy consumption reached 322,119 MWh, representing 289% growth over six years.
Regulatory Compliance and Corporate Actions
The company will hold its 31st Annual General Meeting on August 3, 2026, through video conferencing. Extensive disclosures were made under SEBI Listing Regulations, including comprehensive subsidiary financial data for 126 subsidiaries and 10 associates/joint ventures. The company seeks shareholder approval for material related party transactions with Indus Towers (₹26,000 crore maximum) and Dixon Electro (₹6,500 crore maximum).
Future Outlook
Airtel Africa provided FY27 Capex guidance of ~$1.1 billion focused on coverage expansion, Home Broadband, and data centers. The company completed deployment of 5G Standalone network and implemented network slicing with Fastlane technology, positioning itself for continued growth in the digital economy.