Worlds Leading Telecom Firm Announces Q3 FY26 Results: India and Africa Businesses Drive 20% Revenue Growth

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Worlds Leading Telecom Firm Announces Q3 FY26 Results: India and Africa Businesses Drive 20% Revenue Growth

Following the results announcement, Bharti Airtel’s share price jumped over 2.32 per cent, trading at Rs 2,038.35 per share as on Friday.

Bharti Airtel Limited, India’s second-largest telecom operator, saw its share price rise 1.8 per cent following the announcement of its consolidated results for the quarter ended December 31, 2025 (Q3 FY26). The company reported strong revenue growth across India and Africa, even as net profits were impacted by higher operating and spectrum costs.

Revenue Growth Driven by India and Africa

Bharti Airtel’s consolidated revenues for Q3 FY26 stood at Rs 53,982 crore, up 19.6 per cent year-on-year (YoY) and 3.5 per cent quarter-on-quarter (QoQ). The India business contributed Rs 39,226 crore, a 13.2 per cent YoY increase and 1.4 per cent QoQ growth, driven by premiumisation in the mobile segment, strong momentum in the Homes segment, and steady performance in Airtel Business.

India Mobile revenue rose 9.1 per cent YoY, supported by a rise in Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) to Rs 259 from Rs 245 in Q3 FY25, along with growth in smartphone data customers. The Homes segment delivered exceptional performance, with revenues up 32.6 per cent YoY and record net additions of 1.16 million customers in the quarter, taking the total Homes customer base to 13.1 million.

The Africa business continued its strong trajectory, with revenue in constant currency increasing 24.7 per cent YoY. Airtel’s in-house digital stack improved go-to-market execution, contributing to enhanced performance in the region.

EBITDA and Profitability

Consolidated EBITDA for Q3 FY26 increased 25.2 per cent YoY to Rs 31,144 crore, with a margin of 57.7 per cent. India’s EBITDA reached Rs 23,676 crore, posting a margin of 60.4 per cent. Consolidated EBIT rose 34.5 per cent YoY to Rs 17,654 crore, with a margin of 32.7 per cent.

Despite strong operational performance, consolidated net profit before exceptional items declined 55 per cent YoY to Rs 6,920 crore from Rs 14,781 crore in the same quarter last year. The decline was primarily due to higher network operating costs, employee expenses, and statutory fees, including licence and spectrum charges. Net profit on a QoQ basis fell slightly by 2.4 per cent to Rs 6,630.5 crore.

Operational Highlights

Bharti Airtel strengthened its customer base and network infrastructure during the quarter:

  • Total consolidated customer base reached approximately 645 million across 15 countries, with India at 466 million and Africa at 179 million.

  • Smartphone data customers increased by 20.8 million YoY, accounting for 79 per cent of total mobile customers.

  • Average mobile data consumption per user rose 29.2 per cent YoY to 29.8 GB per month.

  • Postpaid net additions remained steady at 0.62 million.

  • The company added 1,147 towers and 16,338 mobile broadband base stations during the quarter, and over nine months, deployed 30,000 km of fiber to strengthen digital infrastructure.

  • The Homes segment recorded net additions of 1.16 million customers, while Digital TV maintained stable revenue at Rs 755 crore with 15.4 million customers.

Strategic Partnerships and Enterprise Focus

During Q3 FY26, Bharti Airtel forged several strategic partnerships:

  • Google AI Hub: Partnered to establish India’s first AI hub in Visakhapatnam, accelerating AI adoption.

  • IBM Cloud Partnership: Strengthened Airtel Cloud to enable AI workloads for enterprises in regulated industries with high security and multi-cloud capabilities.

  • Indian Railways Cybersecurity Contract: Airtel Business secured a multi-year contract to provide comprehensive cybersecurity for the Indian Railways’ IT backbone, benefiting over 1 billion users.

Capital Expenditure and Deleveraging

Bharti Airtel’s capital expenditure (Capex) rose to Rs 11,787 crore in Q3 FY26, up 28 per cent YoY. India’s Capex increased 16 per cent to Rs 9,249 crore, while Africa’s Capex stood at Rs 2,537 crore. Despite higher spending, Airtel continued deleveraging, with the consolidated Net Debt to EBITDAaL ratio improving to 1.02 times from 1.98 times in the previous year.

Following the results announcement, Bharti Airtel’s share price jumped over 2.32 per cent, trading at Rs 2,038.35 per share as on Friday, reflecting investor confidence in the company’s robust revenue growth and strategic initiatives.

Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.