Bharti Airtel Limited's Board of Directors has approved a significant call payment on its partly paid-up equity shares, marking an important step in the company's capital structure optimization. The decision was taken during a board meeting held on December 18, 2025.

Call Payment Details

The board has approved the first and final call of ₹401.25 per share, which includes a premium of ₹397.50, on 392,287,662 outstanding partly paid-up equity shares. These shares have a face value of ₹5.00 each with a current paid-up value of ₹1.25 each, and were originally issued on a rights basis pursuant to the Letter of Offer dated September 22, 2021.

Key Dates and Timeline

The company has established a clear timeline for the call payment process. The record date has been fixed for Friday, February 6, 2026, which will determine the holders of partly paid-up equity shares liable to pay the call amount.

Trading in the partly paid-up equity shares of the company (ISIN: IN9397D01014) on stock exchanges will be suspended with effect from February 6, 2026.

Fund Utilization and Strategic Impact

The proceeds from the call payment will be utilized primarily for pre-payment/repayment of borrowings, including accrued interest, and general corporate purposes. This strategic move is expected to strengthen the company's financial position.

Following the pre-payment/repayment of borrowings, combined with organic cash generation, Bharti Airtel's India Operations are expected to become effectively net debt-free in the near term. The company will retain only DoT liabilities and Finance Lease Obligations, thereby further strengthening its balance sheet.

Administrative Details

The board meeting commenced at 16:45 hours IST and concluded at 17:45 hours IST on December 18, 2025. Further details regarding the call payment will be provided in a Call Notice, which will be circulated in due course to all relevant stakeholders.

This call payment represents the completion of the rights issue process initiated in 2021 and demonstrates the company's commitment to optimizing its capital structure while maintaining financial flexibility for future growth opportunities.

Bharti Airtel has announced significant leadership changes following its Board of Directors meeting held on December 18, 2025. The comprehensive restructuring, set to take effect on January 1, 2026, represents a structured succession process that has been in development since October 2024.

Executive Leadership Transition

The most notable change involves Gopal Vittal, who has led Bharti Airtel as Managing Director & CEO for the past thirteen years. As part of the planned succession, Vittal will transition to the role of Executive Vice Chairman, overseeing Bharti Airtel and all its subsidiaries.

In his new capacity as Executive Vice Chairman, Vittal will focus on driving group synergies across digital and technology, network strategy, procurement, and talent management. He will also concentrate on group strategy and future-proofing the organization for its next phase of development.

New Managing Director Appointment

Shashwat Sharma, who has served as CEO Designate, will assume the role of Managing Director & CEO of Bharti Airtel India. Over the past twelve months in his designate capacity, Sharma has worked extensively alongside Vittal across all business functions in preparation for this transition. Sharma will report directly to Vittal in the new organizational structure.

Sharma brings substantial experience from his previous roles leading the Consumer Business and serving as Chief Operating Officer responsible for all operations at Airtel. Prior to joining Airtel, he spent thirteen years at Hindustan Unilever Limited across various roles in Sales, Marketing, and General Management. He holds a Post Graduate degree in Management from IIM Ahmedabad and a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Delhi College of Engineering.

Financial Leadership Restructuring

The board has also approved significant changes in the financial leadership structure:

Soumen Ray, who has served as Chief Financial Officer for Bharti Airtel India for approximately four years, will be elevated to Group Chief Financial Officer. Ray has been instrumental in guiding Bharti Airtel's financial performance during his tenure.

Akhil Garg, currently Financial Controller at Bharti Airtel, will take over as Chief Financial Officer for Bharti Airtel India. Garg brings nearly twelve years of experience with Airtel across multiple roles and has led several significant business projects, including the Hexacom IPO.

Administrative Leadership Changes

Rohit Krishan Puri, currently serving as Joint Company Secretary & Compliance Officer, will be appointed as Company Secretary & Compliance Officer for Bharti Airtel. Meanwhile, Pankaj Tewari will continue in his role as Group Company Secretary, providing leadership and oversight at the group level.

Chairman's Statement

Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Airtel, expressed satisfaction with the succession planning, stating his confidence that both Gopal and Shashwat will continue building on the company's momentum. He emphasized the organization's pride in its highly energized and professional management team, which combines entrepreneurial flair to deliver the best technology and services to hundreds of millions of customers across their operating geographies.

All director appointments are subject to shareholder approval and will be effective for a five-year term from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2030. The Board meeting commenced at 4:45 PM IST and concluded at 5:45 PM IST on December 18, 2025.