KOLKATA | MUMBAI: Vodafone Idea<\/a>’s promoters — UK-based Vodafone Group and the Aditya Birla Group<\/a> of India — may need to infuse fresh capital urgently, else the loss-making telecom company<\/a> may have no option but to file for bankruptcy<\/a>, analysts said.
A senior government official expects the company to pay up its dues. However, analysts remain sceptical about the telco’s prospects. “Vodafone Idea’s survival is unlikely unless there is fresh equity infusion<\/a> from its promoters, as the Supreme Court<\/a>’s strongly worded reaction to the modified plea filed by incumbent telcos means chances of any relief (from the government) in the form of a deferred payment of AGR dues is remote now,” ratings firm Fitch’s director (corporates), Nitin Soni, told ET.
The Vodafone Group and Aditya Birla Group did not respond to ET’s queries till press time on Friday.
Vodafone Idea faces AGR dues of more than Rs 53,000 crore. On Thursday, the company reported a Rs 6,439-crore loss for the December quarter. This was the sixth successive quarter when it ended in the red. On Friday, its shares plunged more than 23% to close at Rs 3.44 on the BSE.
“Since Vodafone Idea doesn’t have the money, it may very well move the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT — the bankruptcy court) since telcos need to clear AGR dues before the next court hearing on March 17,” said Rajiv Sharma, research head, SBICap Securities.
<\/p>Read also<\/h4>