Airtel Q1FY26 Results: Telecom Major’s Net Profit Rises 43% to ₹5,948 Crore
Airtel Q1FY26 Update: Bharti Airtel’s total customer base reached 605 million users across 15 nations by the end of the first quarter of FY26.
Bharti Airtel on Tuesday announced that its consolidated net profit jumped 43% year-on-year to ₹5,948 crore for the first quarter of the 2025–26 financial year. However, on a quarter-on-quarter basis, the net profit saw a decline of 46%.
The telecom giant posted quarterly revenue of ₹49,463 crore — an increase of 28.5% YoY and 3.3% QoQ — supported by strong performance in the Indian market and a recovery in Africa’s reported currency figures.
Revenue from its India operations stood at ₹37,585 crore, registering a 29% YoY and 2.3% QoQ rise, driven by higher realisations in the mobile segment and steady growth in the Homes business.
The mobile services division in India reported a 21.6% year-on-year jump in revenue, largely due to an improvement in Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and sustained additions of smartphone subscribers.
Airtel’s consolidated EBITDA for the quarter stood at ₹28,167 crore, with an EBITDA margin of 56.9%. The India business posted an EBITDA of ₹22,352 crore, with the margin improving to 59.5%, up 598 basis points YoY.
On the ARPU front, the telecom operator reported growth to ₹250 in Q1FY26, compared to ₹211 in the same period last year.
In Africa, revenue in constant currency rose by 24.9% YoY, and the EBITDA margin improved to 48.1%.
Major developments during the quarter included the launch of new prepaid OTT bundles giving access to 25+ platforms, and the rollout of Business Name Display (BND) service for enterprises. The company made capital investments of ₹8,307 crore during the quarter, of which ₹7,273 crore was allocated to the Indian market to enhance digital infrastructure.
By the end of the quarter, Bharti Airtel’s user base had grown to 605 million across its 15 operational markets.
Airtel’s stock ended 0.82% higher at ₹1,930.30 per share, compared to the previous close of ₹1,914. The stock opened the session at ₹1,920 per share.
Operational Metrics & Capital Expenditure:
- Customer base: 605 million across 15 countries
- Mobile data usage: 26.9 GB per user/month (Up 21.6% YoY)
- Smartphone additions: 21.3 million users YoY
- Capex: ₹8,307 crore in Q1FY26
- India Capex: ₹7,273 crore
- Net Debt/EBITDAaL: 1.26x (excluding lease liabilities)
