Airtel profits soar as customers pay more, rivals lag
A major wireless carrier reported profits that nearly doubled during the three months ending in September, reflecting growth across its mobile and internet service lines. Bharti Airtel recorded earnings of 6,791.7 crore rupees for the second quarter of fiscal 2026, an 89 percent increase from the 3,593.2 crore rupees earned during the corresponding period one year earlier.
Total revenue climbed 25.7 percent to reach 52,145.4 crore rupees as the company expanded its subscriber base and improved per-customer revenue. Gopal Vittal, who serves as vice chairman and managing director, said the quarter demonstrated strength across the business portfolio while the firm maintained financial discipline. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization reached 29,919 crore rupees with margins expanding to 57.4 percent.
The telecommunications provider added 950,000 postpaid subscribers during the quarter and grew its smartphone data customer base by 22.2 million over 12 months. Average revenue per user rose to 256 rupees from 233 rupees year over year. The debt-to-earnings ratio improved to 1.63 times from 2.50 times recorded at the end of September 2024.
