The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has initiated the reassessment of Vodafone Idea (Vi) Ltd’s adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues and aims to complete the exercise by the end of February, following the company’s submission of a formal undertaking agreeing to the process. This was reported by Live Mint [1] in a report by Jatin Grover, which said it had seen a copy of the letter, and separately by The Hindu BusinessLine [2] in a report by S. Ronendra Singh dated January 16, 2026, citing sources aware of the matter.
After freezing Vodafone Idea’s AGR dues at Rs 87,695 crore, the DoT informed its field units and the company in a letter dated January 15 that it aims to complete the reassessment by the end of February, according to report [1].
The DoT has instructed its 22 regional offices—the Controllers of Communication Accounts (CCAs)—to reassess Vodafone Idea’s AGR dues for the period from FY2006–07 to FY2018–19, excluding FY2017–18 and FY2018–19, which were finalised by the Supreme Court in September 2020. The reassessment will be carried out in line with the Deduction Verification Guidelines issued on February 3, 2020, and will factor in audit reports that were previously not acted upon, according to report [1].
Vodafone Idea Submits Formal Undertaking
Sources cited in report [2] said that the company has submitted its undertaking to the DoT, agreeing to the reassessment as per the terms and conditions laid out by the Department. Earlier this week, the Department had sought written assurance from the company to formally begin the process.
“The DoT has got the undertaking from Vodafone-Idea Ltd and now, has directed all the 22 Controller of Communication Accounts (CCAs), mentioning that the reassessment of AGR dues of the company should be completed by March 31, 2026,” the source was quoted as saying in report [2], adding that the reassessment will be done as per the guidelines issued in 2020.
According to the report [1], the telecom department has already begun reassessing the AGR dues of the cash-strapped telecom operator from FY07 to FY19. The exercise, expected to be completed within a seven-week timeframe, will involve a detailed scrutiny of the telecom operator’s financial records, including licence fee and spectrum usage charge payments based on AGR. The DoT said the targeted timeline to complete the reassessment by February 27 depends on Vodafone Idea’s timely response and submission of the required documents.
“The reassessment will involve scrutiny of VI’s financial records over the last 11 years, including digital filings, audit reports, and other documentation, to determine the actual AGR liability. This could potentially lead to a significant reduction in principal, interest, and penalties against the company,” sources said, according to report [2].
The reassessment follows Supreme Court rulings in October and November that allowed the government to recalculate the AGR dues of the company. Subsequently, the Union Cabinet on December 31 approved a relief package for Vodafone Idea, freezing its AGR dues at Rs 87,695 crore as of end-December and extending the payment timeline from FY2032 to FY2041.
As per the approved payment plan, Vodafone Idea will pay a maximum of Rs 124 crore annually between March 2026 and March 2031, followed by annual payments of Rs 100 crore from March 2032 to March 2035. “The remaining AGR dues have to be paid in equal instalments annually over 6 years, i.e. March 2036 to March 2041,” Vodafone Idea had said in an exchange filing on January 9, 2026.
Officials cited in report [1] said the reassessment could potentially reduce the company’s final AGR liability. The government currently holds close to a 49 per cent stake in Vodafone Idea following the conversion of a portion of its dues into equity.
“While the relief package addresses AGR dues, Vi (Vodafone Idea) also has ?1.2 trillion of deferred payment obligations toward spectrum, with significant scheduled payments between FY26 and FY44. The current Ebitda is insufficient to meet the capital expenditure (capex) or spectrum debt repayment requirements. The company will need additional relief/funding to alleviate such challenges,” brokerage Emkay Global said in a note dated January 1, 2026, according to the report [1].
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