Bharti Airtel , one of India's leading telecommunications companies, has reported strong financial results for the second quarter ended September 30, 2025, demonstrating consistent growth across its diverse portfolio.

Key Financial Highlights

• Consolidated revenue reached Rs. 52,000.00 crores, with an annualized run rate exceeding Rs. 200,000.00 crores
• India revenues (excluding Indus) stood at Rs. 34,900.00 crores
• EBITDA margin (excluding passive infrastructure) improved to 51.5%
• Operating free cash flow was robust at Rs. 10,750.00 crores
• Capex for the quarter was approximately Rs. 7,200.00 crores

Operational Performance

Bharti Airtel's mobile segment continued to show strong momentum:

• Added 1.4 million revenue-earning mobile customers
• Gained 5.1 million smartphone data users
• Achieved an ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) of Rs. 256.00
• Postpaid net additions accounted for 68% of total net adds

The company's broadband business also demonstrated significant growth:

• Added 951,000 net broadband customers
• Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) customer base crossed 2.3 million

Strategic Developments

Bharti Airtel announced a significant partnership with Google to establish a data center in Vishakhapatnam. This collaboration aims to expand Airtel's data center capacity to over 1 gigawatt in the coming years, representing a four-fold increase from its current operating capacity.

5G Expansion and Technology Advancements

The company reported progress in its 5G rollout:

• Ended the quarter with 167 million 5G users
• 5G sites now handle over 40% of total network traffic
• Implementing dual NSA (Non-Standalone) plus SA (Standalone) mode for 5G networks

Financial Position

Bharti Airtel maintains a strong balance sheet:

• Net debt to EBITDA ratio for India operations improved to 1.32
• The company's disciplined capital allocation and operational excellence continue to support its growth strategy

Africa Operations

Airtel Africa also delivered solid performance:

Management Commentary

Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Bharti Airtel, commented on the results: "We delivered another quarter of consistent performance, reinforcing the strength of our diversified portfolio and disciplined execution. We are seeing strong growth opportunities in postpaid, broadband, convergence, and B2B segments. We are investing across our businesses to future-proof Airtel and capitalize on emerging growth opportunities."

Future Outlook

Bharti Airtel remains focused on several key areas:

1. Building a diversified and resilient portfolio
2. Winning quality customers through targeted strategies
3. Delivering excellent customer experience
4. Leveraging digital capabilities, including AI-powered solutions
5. Continuing efforts to optimize costs and improve operational efficiency

The company's investments in future-proofing its network, expanding its portfolio, and building scalable digital services are expected to drive long-term growth.

As Bharti Airtel continues to strengthen its position in the Indian telecommunications market, the company's strategic investments and focus on digital transformation position it well for sustained growth in the evolving telecom landscape.

Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (Singtel) has announced plans to sell approximately 0.8% of its stake in Bharti Airtel , one of India's leading telecommunications companies. This move is part of Singtel's ongoing portfolio restructuring strategy aimed at unlocking capital and focusing on its core businesses.

Key Details of the Stake Sale

Singtel's Divestment Strategy

This latest stake sale is not an isolated event but part of a broader strategy by Singtel:

• In May, Singtel sold stakes worth 2 billion Singapore dollars
• Between 2022 and 2024, the company raised 3.5 billion Singapore dollars from Airtel share sales

These moves underscore Singtel's commitment to optimizing its investment portfolio and redirecting capital towards its primary business areas.

Bharti Airtel's Recent Performance

The timing of this transaction follows a strong quarterly performance by Bharti Airtel:

• Consolidated EBITDA growth: 6% quarter-on-quarter
• Free cash flow: Rs 14,600 crore

These figures demonstrate Bharti Airtel's robust financial health and operational efficiency, which may have influenced the timing of Singtel's decision to sell part of its stake.

Market Outlook

Motilal Oswal, a prominent Indian brokerage firm, maintains a positive outlook on Bharti Airtel:

• Rating: 'Buy'
• Target price: Rs 2,365.00
• Growth projections (FY25-28):
  • Revenue CAGR: 15%
  • EBITDA CAGR: 18%

The brokerage estimates that Bharti Airtel could generate Rs 1 lakh crore in free cash flow between FY26 and FY27. This projection is supported by expectations of:

1. Future tariff hikes
2. Growth in the broadband segment

These factors suggest that despite Singtel's partial exit, Bharti Airtel's fundamentals remain strong, with significant growth potential in the coming years.

The stake sale by Singtel, while substantial, represents only a small portion of their total holding in Bharti Airtel. For investors, this move may be seen as a strategic realignment rather than a lack of confidence in Bharti Airtel's future prospects. As the Indian telecom market continues to evolve, Bharti Airtel's strong financial performance and positive market outlook position it well for future growth and competition in the sector.