Telecom Industry

Vodafone Idea, a key telecom player in India, risks closure thanks to its massive commercial debt and the substantial levies and penalties it owes to the government. Its exit would weaken competition and hurt exchequer revenues. The government has offered to accept equity in Vodafone Idea as part payment to mitigate this risk. With its existing equity in BSNL/MTNL, the government faces a serious confl ict of interest through ownership in competing companies. Merging these companies would help them and promote policy objectives better.