The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) expects that its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) reassessment for Vodafone Idea will be completed by June, PTI reported on 7 April. The telco recently received government relief for its dues and liabilities, and the reassessment was earlier targeted for completion by 31 March.
Sources told the agency that review of the telecom department’s Spectrum Usage Charge (SUC) is ongoing and accordingly, the timeline has been extended to June. This step comes after the internal licence fee reassessment by Controller of Communication Accounts.
India gives relief to Vodafone Idea after SC order
Notably, the Union Cabinet gave Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL) relief on its AGR dues after a Supreme Court order and ‘froze’ its action for recovery of ₹87,695 crore for a period ranging from FY 2006-07 to FY 2018-19. It is these ‘frozen’ dues are subject to reassessment, as per the report.
The amount excludes those AGR dues of FY 2017–18 and FY 2018–19 which stand finalised by the apex court’s 2020 order and payable in accordance.
Replying to a Lok Sabha question in early February this year, Minister of State for Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar had said VIL’s AGR dues frozen as on December 31, 2025 shall also be subject to reassessment by the DoT in line with the deduction verification guidelines.
A committee constituted by DoT on January 30, 2026 will decide on the outcome of such reassessment by the telecom department.
“The Committee comprises a retired Secretary-level officer of Government of India and a representative of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, as nominated by the CAG. The Committee shall finalise the outcome of the reassessment within a period of two months, unless extended,” Sekhar had said in the reply adding the decision of the committee shall be final, binding on both parties, that is DoT and VIL.
Telcos owe govt ₹1.77 lakh crore in AGR dues till FY25
Telecom operators’ total AGR dues up to FY24-25 payable to the government stood at over ₹1.77 lakh crore, according to official data shared with Parliament.
The data shows that the total liability on debt-ridden Vi stands at ₹89,952 crore, Bharti Group ₹51,091 crore, Tata Group ₹20,426 crore, MTNL ₹14,462 crore, and Reliance Jio Infocomm ₹1,984 crore.
(With inputs from PTI)
