‘Bharti Airtel can withstand USD 5 bn payout’

It said a Rs 35,300 crore cash payment will not cause a significant deterioration in the credit quality of Bharti Airtel while in the alternate scenario of a smaller cash payment of Rs 25,200 crore reflecting the principal and interest amount only, would position the company more comfortably within its current rating.

“Recent capital-raising activities provide additional liquidity to fund the AGR payment,” it said. The AGR payment is a cash obligation of the Indian operations.

Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea has written to Centre seeking help to pay the balance dues. The same letter also is written to Niti Aayog and Finance Minister seeking facilitation of the payment. VIL has dues of Rs 53,000 crore towards AGR though its self-assessment is apparently a much lower figure.