Vodafone Idea and Telco Share Price: Stock Slips 3% After Rally Ahead of AGR Hearing

Market Performance

The stock market today saw profit booking in Vodafone Idea and telco share price after a strong run in recent sessions. On September 16, at 10:25 am, the stock was trading 3% lower at ₹7.9 on NSE, giving back part of its gains after an 8-session rally of over 23%.

Just a day earlier, Vodafone Idea had surged 7%, fueled by anticipation around the upcoming Supreme Court hearing on AGR dues, scheduled for September 19.

• 52-week high: ₹13.5
• 52-week low: ₹6.12
• Market cap: ₹85,300 crore

This quick swing reflects how sensitive the stock remains to regulatory and legal developments.

Main News – AGR Dues and Supreme Court Petition

Vodafone Idea has filed a plea in the Supreme Court to quash an additional ₹9,450 crore AGR demand raised by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

The company argues that the fresh demand goes beyond the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling on AGR liabilities. According to the petition, DoT’s revised calculations include dues:

• Covering up to FY17
• Updating licence fee obligations for both Idea Cellular and Vodafone Idea Limited through FY19

The revised dues fall under the government’s AGR payment moratorium, which ends on March 31, 2026. After that, Vodafone Idea will need to begin instalments.

Company Details – Breaking Down the AGR Demand

The DoT assessment added fresh liabilities for FY18–19, which Vodafone Idea has contested:

• ₹2,774 crore demand linked to FY18–19
• ₹5,675 crore tied to pre-merger Vodafone Group’s liabilities
• ₹5,606 crore (as of March 31, 2025) relates to dues already settled by the Supreme Court for FY16–17

Vodafone Idea claims that some amounts were double counted and has requested a comprehensive recalculation of dues.

Currently, the telecom operator owes about ₹83,400 crore in AGR dues to the government. Annual payments of nearly ₹18,000 crore are set to begin from March 2026.

When penalties and interest are included, Vodafone Idea’s overall dues stand at around ₹2 trillion.

Why It Matters – Impact on Business and Employees

The company has made it clear that the AGR demand worsens financial pressure at a time when it is actively trying to:

• Strengthen its 4G coverage
• Speed up 5G rollout to compete with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel

Vodafone Idea stressed that the additional demand poses a serious risk not only to its operations but also to the livelihood of nearly 18,000 employees and thousands of others indirectly connected with the business.

With a subscriber base of 198 million users, the stakes are high.

Summary of the Article

• Vodafone Idea share price fell 3% to ₹7.9 on September 16 after strong gains in recent sessions.
• The decline came ahead of the Supreme Court hearing on AGR dues.
• The company has filed a petition to challenge an additional ₹9,450 crore AGR demand raised by DoT.
• Vodafone Idea’s total government dues stand at around ₹2 trillion, including penalties and interest.
• The outcome of the court case is critical for the telco’s financial stability and ability to move forward with expansion plans.