Vodafone Idea posted a profit in its full-year 2026 results and approved a fresh cash injection from Aditya Birla Group, while expanding its 5G rollout and 4G coverage across India.
For FY2026, the operator reported profit after tax of INR345 billion (about $3.5 billion) versus expectations of another annual loss, alongside revenue growth and higher capex as it pushed its network build.
FY2026 financials: profit, revenue up 3% and EBITDA up 4.8%
Vodafone Idea reported profit after tax of INR345 billion (about $3.5 billion) for the financial year ended March 31. Revenue increased 3% to INR448 billion (about $4.6 billion), while EBITDA rose 4.8% to INR190 billion.
Analysts (unnamed) had expected Vodafone Idea to post another annual loss.
Capex and 5G expansion: 83 cities after March 2025 launch
Vodafone Idea said capex reached INR87 billion as it accelerated its 5G rollout. The operator reported that its 5G network covers 83 cities, following the commercial launch of 5G services in March 2025.
4G coverage and scale metrics: 86% population coverage, tower-site growth
Vodafone Idea said its 4G network covers 86% of Indias population after expanding to an additional 48 million people during the year. It reported total broadband tower sites of 202,008 after adding 17,300 new sites.
The operator said its subscriber base stabilized at 192.8 million users, while its combined 4G and 5G user base rose to 129 million from 126 million a year earlier. Vodafone Idea expects 4G population coverage to reach 95% across its 17 priority deployment circles.
ARPU and board approval: CEO links growth to capex as Aditya Birla injects cash
Vodafone Idea reported ARPU rising from INR175 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 to INR190 in the same quarter of fiscal 2026. Vodafone Idea said this ARPU increase represented the highest quarterly increase in the industry.
CEO Abhijit Kishore credited Vodafone Ideas growth to increased capex investment into network expansion, and said the fourth quarter marked a decisive step forward after the operator achieved seven internal operational targets.
Vodafone Ideas board approved a fresh capital injection from Aditya Birla Group, which the operator described as one of the two shareholders behind the Vodafone Idea joint venture. Vodafone Idea said the injection is part of efforts to stabilise its finances after years of debt pressure.
Sources
Even as terrestrial coverage expands, some regions and use cases still rely on satellite internet as a complementary connectivity layer.