PUNE: Bharti Airtel, one of India’s leading telecommunications service providers, today announced major plans for its Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), Airtel Money Limited, underscoring its commitment to narrow the credit gap in India.

The NBFC subsidiary will be capitalised with Rs 20,000 crore to be injected over the next few years. Airtel will contribute 70% with the promoter group via Bharti Enterprises Limited. bringing the balance 30%.

With strong digital assets, a large data and analytics engine powered by 500+ data scientists, and deep operational expertise, Airtel aims to rapidly expand access to simple, secure, and innovative digital financial services across India.  

Airtel has built a high‑performance credit engine over the last two years, powered by its digital platform and deeply integrated channels, resulting in one of India’s strongest lending service providers (LSP) models. 

The platform has already achieved hyperscale adoption with over ₹9,000 crore in disbursements – supported by best‑in‑class delinquency outcomes, driven by robust underwriting models, disciplined portfolio management, and real‑time risk monitoring.

“The success of our LSP platform over the past two years is proof of our ability to combine technology, data, and customer trust to deliver impact at a national scale. We have built one of India’s most trusted and scalable digital credit engines—reaching millions with high‑quality credit supported by industry‑best performance metrics,” said Gopal Vittal, Executive Vice Chairman, Bharti Airtel. “Our NBFC expansion strengthens this foundation and reflects our ambition to build a differentiated, future‑ready digital lending business – one that stands for trust, innovation, and financial inclusion.”

Airtel Money received its NBFC license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on February 13, 2026.

This strategic expansion in India’s fast-growing financial services sector underscores Airtel’s commitment to deepening financial inclusion and empowering underserved consumers. Formal credit to GDP ratio in India is at 53%, according to Care Edge Ratings, and highlights the scope for lending in the country. 

The expansion is also a natural adjacency that will leverage the large Airtel customer base to build the next growth engine for the company and further diversify its portfolio.

The disbursement journey of the NBFC will be seamlessly integrated with the LSP platform, while maintaining clear operational segregation between the two, giving the customer a best-in-class experience. By combining technology, data, and customer understanding at scale, Airtel aims to set a new benchmark for digital financial services in India.

The company is also submitting the following disclaimer/statement, as advised by the RBI to Airtel Money Limited, while granting the Certificate:

“The Company is having a valid Certificate of Registration dated 13/02/2026 issued by the Reserve Bank of India under section 45 IA of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. However, the Reserve Bank of India does not accept any responsibility or guarantee about the present position as to the financial soundness of the company or for the correctness of any of the statements or representations made or opinions expressed by the company and for the repayment of deposits/discharge of liabilities by the company.” 

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PUNE:  Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), one of India’s leading telecommunications service providers, today announced new unparalleled entertainment packs for prepaid customers. With access to an industry-leading portfolio of 25+ top OTT platforms—including Netflix, JioHotstar, Zee5, and SonyLiv — Airtel is the only telco in India offering such an extensive entertainment experience. Starting at an attractive introductory price of ₹279 for 1 month validity, customers will get access to a wide variety of popular streaming platforms, of value worth ₹750, making it the only telco to enable access to such a wide bouquet of OTT streaming options. The company has also bundled entertainment packs with unlimited 5G data and unlimited calls at ₹598, facilitating unlimited entertainment.  

Customers can now access a wide variety of TV shows, blockbuster movies, and documentaries from leading OTT platforms such as Netflix, JioHostar, Zee5, SonyLiv, LionsgatePlay, AHA, SunNxt, Hoichoi, ErosNow, and ShemarooMe, among others, all through a single pack. By consolidating these various OTT services into one affordable package, the company seeks to meet the changing entertainment preferences of its prepaid users. This enables them to effortlessly enjoy international, Bollywood, and regional content in more than 16 languages, including their preferred shows, films, and or

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PUNE: In a pioneering move, Bharti Airtel today announced its partnership with the quick commerce platform, Blinkit, for the delivery of SIM cards to its customers in Pune within ten minutes. A first-of-its-kind service by a telco, the services are now live in 16 cities in the country, with plans to add more cities and towns over a period of time.

This collaboration marks a significant milestone, enabling, as it does, customers to receive SIM cards at their doorstep in a minimal 10 minutes at a nominal convenience fee of ₹49. Post the delivery of the SIM card, customers can activate the number using a simple activation process through Aadhaar-based KYC authentication. Customers will have the option to choose from both postpaid and prepaid plans or trigger an MNP for porting into the Airtel network. To streamline the process, customers can access the online link and view the activation video for a seamless activation experience.

Additionally, for all such activations, all Airtel customers have the option to access the help center through the Airtel Thanks App for any assistance they may need. New customers can contact support by calling 9810012345 if they require help. Post-delivery of the SIM card, it will be mandatory for customers to activate the SIM within a 15-day window to ensure a smooth and hassle-free transition.

Commenting on the partnership, Siddharth Sharma, CEO – Connected Homes and Director of Marketing, Bharti Airtel, said, “Simplifying customer lives is central to everything we do at Airtel. Today, we are thrilled to partner with Blinkit for 10-minute SIM card delivery to customers’ homes across 16 cities, and in due course of time, we plan to expand this partnership to additional cities.”

Albinder Dhindsa, Founder and CEO of Blinkit, said, “To save customers time and hassle, we’ve collaborated with Airtel to deliver SIM cards directly to customers in select cities, with delivery in just 10 minutes. Blinkit takes care of the delivery, while Airtel makes it easy for customers to complete self-KYC, activate their SIM, and choose between prepaid or postpaid plans. Customers can also opt for number portability, all at their convenience.”

In the initial phase of this launch, the SIM delivery service will be available across 16 major cities, including metropolises such as Pune, Ahmedabad, Surat, Chennai, Delhi, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Sonipat, Bhopal, Indore, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Lucknow, Jaipur, Kolkata, and Hyderabad.

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The company, in the last 2.5 months, has alerted close to 252 million unique customers to these suspicious calls and has observed that there has been a 12% decline in the number of customers answering them. Six percent of all calls on the Airtel network have been identified as spam calls, while 2% of all SMSes have also been identified as spam. Interestingly, it has been observed that a staggering 35% of the spammers have used landline telephones.

Additionally, customers in Delhi have received the maximum number of spam calls, followed by customers in Andhra Pradesh and Western Uttar Pradesh. Delhi is also where the maximum number of spam calls have originated, followed by Mumbai and Karnataka. In terms of SMSes, the maximum number have originated in Gujarat followed by Kolkata and Uttar Pradesh and the maximum number of customers targeted have been from Mumbai, Chennai, and Gujarat.

As per the trends, 76% of all spam calls have been targeted at male customers. Additionally, distinct differences have been noted in terms of spam call frequency across age demographics. Customers in the age bracket of 36-60 have received 48% of all spam calls, while those in the 26-35 age bracket have been the second-most targeted, accounting for 26% of spam calls. Approximately only 8% of the spam calls have landed in the handsets of senior citizens.

The company’s findings have also shed light on the hourly distribution of spam activity. Spam calls commence from 9 am onwards and gradually escalate in volume as the day progresses. The peak of spam activity is observed between noon and 3 pm, during which the highest concentration of spam calls occurs. Moreover, there is a notable disparity in the frequency of spam calls between weekdays and weekends. The volume of these calls diminishes by around 40% on Sundays. Specifically, devices in the price range of 15,000 to 20,000 rupees are the recipients of approximately 22% of all spam calls.

By meticulously examining a multitude of parameters, the AI-driven system has been able to identify these unwanted intrusions in real time with remarkable accuracy. This groundbreaking initiative has firmly established Airtel as the first service provider in India to offer a comprehensive solution to the growing menace of spam, setting new industry standards for inclusive security measures that prioritizeExploring the Trends in Airtel’s Spam Report the privacy and convenience of its vast customer base.

Note to the Editor

The Government of India (GoI) has allocated 10-digit numbers with the prefix 160 for service and transactional calls. Customers can expect to receive calls from these 160-prefix series assigned to banks, mutual funds, insurance companies, stockbrokers, other financial institutions, corporates, enterprises, SMEs, and big and small businesses used for making transactional and service calls.

Additionally, those customers who have not opted for Do-not-disturb (DND) and have subscribed to receiving promotional calls will continue to receive them from a 10-digit number with the prefix 140.

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MUMBAI: Airtel Business, the B2B arm of Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), one of India’s leading telecommunications service providers, has leveraged new-age cybersecurity solutions from Fortinet, a global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, to launch ‘Airtel Secure Internet’ — a new-age internet security solution offering a robust and fully-managed defense against cyber threats.

The unique solution is designed specifically to enhance security over Internet Lease Line (ILL) circuits, combining Airtel’s trusted internet connectivity with Fortinet’s next-generation firewall. It offers comprehensive, end-to-end protection through Airtel’s state-of-the-art Security Operations Centre (SOC) and Fortinet’s Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) platform, ensuring robust management and defense against cyber threats.

Sharat Sinha, CEO – of Airtel Business said, “Cybersecurity is becoming increasingly complex and many organizations lack the resources to manage it effectively. We have been pioneers in offering inclusive Cyber Secured ILL in the Indian market. With the launch of yet another innovative security solution — ‘Airtel Secure Internet’— we offer a comprehensive, future-proof solution that strengthens enterprises’ security without the burden of high capex.”

Vivek Srivastava, Country Manager, India & SAARC, Fortinet, added, “As cybersecurity challenges continue to escalate, many organizations are seeking expert support to manage and mitigate threats effectively. Our collaboration with Airtel Business to offer ‘Secure Internet’ provides a cost-effective solution, delivering 24×7 security event monitoring and detection to identify and respond to potential threats in real time. By leveraging the SOC-as-a-Service model, organizations can reduce their total cost of ownership, bridge the cybersecurity skills gap, and gain greater visibility into their complex environments ensuring comprehensive protection in today’s digital landscape.”

‘Airtel Secure Internet’ will address the ever-increasing cybersecurity challenges faced by businesses, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs) including limited expertise, fragmented support, and high capital expenditure (capex) for security equipment. Many enterprises also lack basic protection and the expertise to manage security across multiple locations while maintaining technology investments, leaving them exposed to internet-based attacks. Enterprises can also opt for Airtel’s next-gen iSOC, which is a state-of-the-art cyber defense center, offering a large portfolio of security services.

The ‘Airtel Secure Internet service model is designed to protect against technology obsolescence, ensuring businesses remain future-proof while reducing capex expenses. The service allows for seamless upgrades or downgrades as needed, ensuring businesses always stay ahead of emerging security challenges. Airtel’s SOC utilizes advanced orchestration tools with AI and ML algorithms to automate threat mitigation, providing robust, proactive defense.

With Airtel Secure Internet, businesses benefit from Airtel’s pan-India connectivity to link all their locations — headquarters, regional offices, data centers, and remote sites. Bundling Fortinet’s Next Generation Firewall ensures holistic security, while Airtel’s intelligent Security Operations Centre iSOC manages the entire setup with its certified and trained resources, delivering continuous protection and peace of mind.

The fully managed service also integrates a next-generation firewall (NGFW) with enterprise-grade threat protection, which offers comprehensive protection through firewalls, intrusion detection, antivirus, and content filtering, all from a single platform. For more details, click here: https://www.airtel.in/b2b/secure-internet

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PUNE: Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), one of India’s leading telecommunications service providers, announced that its customers can enjoy uninterrupted and seamless connectivity on the newly inaugurated North-South Corridor of the Pune metro. This makes Airtel the first operator to offer connectivity across the complete stretch, spanning from PCMC to Swargate, including new stations Shivaji Nagar, District Court, Kasba Peth, Mandai, and Swargate. 

Airtel has upgraded a significant number of sites along the 17.4 km route to enhance 5G capabilities. Furthermore, the company has deployed dedicated in-building solutions in the metro stations for consistent coverage within the 6 km underground metro stretch. This will ensure that commuters can enjoy blazing 5G speeds, uninterrupted voice calls and data transmission allowing them to stay connected and productive throughout their travel.

George Mathen, CEO- Maharashtra and Goa, Bharti Airtel, said, “We are committed to offering our customers in Pune the best. Airtel has deployed additional nodes and sites across the new metro route that will allow commuters to access high-speed mobile internet on the go. We will do what needs to be done to ensure that our network remains reliable making it an indispensable companion for all our customers”

With this new phase, Pune metro will now have a total stretch of 33 km across the city with over 30 stations. Airtel is the only operator to ensure connectivity on the entire metro route in the city.

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PUNE: Bharti Airtel through its AI-powered spam detection solution has given much-needed relief to its customers in Maharashtra. In the last 7 days since its launch, the system, a first-of-its-kind solution by a telecom service provider, has been able to successfully identify 70 million potential spam calls and 1.2 million spam SMS in Maharashtra.

The solution, which is free of cost, has been auto-activated for all Airtel customers without them having to raise a service request or download an app. 

Commenting on the launch, George Mathen, Chief Executive Officer, Maharashtra and Goa, Bharti Airtel, said, “Every scam begins with a spam call. As a result, most people are reluctant to receive calls from numbers they do not recognize or to click on a link shared via SMS. With Airtel’s AI-powered solution, all such fears can be put to rest. 33 million Airtel customers in Maharashtra no longer have to worry about any such frauds since Airtel has empowered them with a defense mechanism that will alert them to all such spam calls and SMSes in real-time. Available only to Airtel customers, this solution will be one of the key differentiators compared to other service providers in the state. We are committed to working towards removing all annoying disturbances for our customers.”

Developed in-house by Airtel’s data scientists, the AI-powered solution uses a proprietary algorithm to identify and classify calls and SMSes as “Suspected Spam”. The network powered by a state-of-the-art AI algorithm analyses various parameters such as the caller or sender’s usage patterns, call/SMS frequency, and call duration amongst several others, on a real-time basis. By cross-referencing this information against known spam patterns, the system flags suspected spam calls and SMSes accurately. 

A dual-layered protection, the solution has two filters – one at the network layer and the second at the IT systems layer. Every call and SMS passes through this dual-layered AI shield. In two milliseconds the solution processes 1.5 billion messages and 2.5 billion calls. This is equivalent to processing 1 trillion records on a real-time basis using the power of AI.

Additionally, the solution also alerts customers to malicious links received via SMS. For this, Airtel has built a centralized database of blacklisted URLs and every SMS is scanned in real-time by a state-of-the-art AI algorithm to caution users from accidentally clicking on suspicious links. The solution can also detect anomalies such as frequent IMEI changes – a typical indicator of fraudulent behavior. By layering these protective measures, the company is ensuring its customers receive the maximum level of defense against the evolving landscape of spam and fraud threats.

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The coding competition, which ran from April 16th to May 2nd, 2024, aimed at recruiting young technical leaders in the Network and Digital domains of Airtel. A total of 4,104 registered participants took part in three rounds that tested their domain expertise, problem-solving abilities, and agility. Participants showcased their coding prowess and innovative thinking through a series of challenges.

The grand finale, held on May 1st, 2024, at the Airtel head office in Gurugram, saw the top teams compete for the top prizes. Subsequently, finalists underwent interviews for potential positions at Airtel. The shortlisted candidates will join Airtel in July 2025.

The following winners were announced: Ananya Bansal, Sanya Mahajan, Vanshika Khurana, and Suhana Khandelwal as part of the team Network-X.

Sanjay Goyal, Business Head of TechGig, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “Our partnership with Airtel represents a significant step towards empowering talented coders. Through this campaign, we aim to bridge the gender gap in the tech community and create a brighter future for Indian female talent.”

Amrita Padda, Chief People Officer at Airtel, highlighted the company’s commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the tech sector, saying, “We are immensely proud of the overwhelming response and enthusiasm we received for ‘SheCodes’. This initiative not only underlines our commitment to fostering inclusivity and diversity but also serves as a platform to identify and nurture the next generation of female tech leaders.”

In total, 20 students secured placements at Airtel as a result of the campaign.

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GURUGRAM: Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), one of India’s leading telecommunications service providers, in partnership with IDEMIA Secure Transactions, today announced that it has switched from virgin plastic to recycled PVC SIM cards. This is in line with the company’s commitment to encouraging the adoption of circular business practices. IDEMIA Secure Transactions, a division of the IDEMIA Group, is a leading provider of payment and connectivity solutions for financial institutions, mobile network operators, and automotive manufacturers.

An industry first in India, Airtel is the only telecommunications service provider to switch to recycled plastic SIM cards. With this migration, the generation of over 165 tonnes of virgin plastic will be limited which will further reduce the generation of over 690 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in one year.

This migration is in line with Airtel’s continued commitment to reducing greenhouse gases and promoting circularity with supplier partners and other stakeholders to encourage them to reduce waste, recycle, and reuse products.

Pankaj Miglani, Director – Supply Chain, Bharti Airtel, said, “We are delighted to announce yet another first as we continue to lead the Indian telecom industry. As a brand, we endeavor to align our efforts to adopt various sustainable measures and contribute significantly towards India’s ambition to achieve net zero. Our collaboration with Idemia underscores our shared commitment to contributing to a sustainable future.”

Rahul Tandon, Senior VP – Connectivity Services, India, IDEMIA Secure Transactions, said, “We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Airtel. We congratulate Airtel for taking the lead in reducing the carbon footprint and providing green solutions to their subscribers in India. I would also like to thank all our R&D teams for making such innovations possible.”

Airtel has committed to reducing absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its operations by 50.2% by FY 2030-31 with FY 2020-21 as the base year. The company has also committed to reducing its absolute scope 3 GHG emissions by 42% over the same time frame. In line with this commitment, some of the key initiatives at Airtel include promoting energy efficiency, utilizing open-access green energy, and adopting renewable energy across operations, as well as building a climate-resilient network, resource efficiency, and waste management.

Carbon dioxide equivalent or CO₂ equivalent is a metric used to compare the emissions from various GHGs based on their global warming potential, converted to the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide.

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