Bharti Airtel reported a 31% year-on-year increase in consolidated net profit to ₹8,888 crore for the second quarter of FY27, but the result fell short of analyst expectations. The telecom operator’s revenue from operations grew 17% to ₹60,878 crore for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, compared with ₹52,145 crore in the same period last year.
The results reflect continued growth across Airtel’s mobile, broadband, enterprise and international businesses. Average revenue per user (ARPU) in India improved to ₹271, while the company added millions of smartphone data and home broadband customers. However, higher operating costs, including network-related expenses, weighed on profitability and contributed to the earnings shortfall, according to Reuters.
Net Profit Reaches ₹8,888 Crore
Airtel’s consolidated net profit increased from ₹6,792 crore in Q2 FY26 to ₹8,888 crore in Q2 FY27, representing growth of approximately 30.9%.
Despite the year-on-year increase, the company missed analyst estimates. CNBC-TV18’s estimate, cited by Moneycontrol, was ₹9,209 crore, while the average forecast compiled by LSEG and cited by Reuters was ₹9,673 crore. The difference reflects separate analyst consensus polls.
| Financial indicator | Q2 FY26 | Q2 FY27 | Year-on-year change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue from operations | ₹52,145 crore | ₹60,878 crore | +16.8% |
| Consolidated net profit | ₹6,792 crore | ₹8,888 crore | +30.9% |
Revenue increased by nearly ₹8,733 crore compared with the year-ago quarter. The stronger profit growth indicates that the company converted a larger portion of its expanded revenue into reported earnings, although the quarterly result still came in below market expectations.
Revenue Growth Supported by Multiple Businesses
Airtel’s consolidated revenue increased 4% sequentially from ₹58,539 crore in Q1 FY27 to ₹60,878 crore in Q2. The company attributed the performance to growth across its diversified portfolio.
Executive Vice Chairman Gopal Vittal said the India business recorded sequential revenue growth of 2.7%, while the Africa business delivered 6.7% constant-currency revenue growth.
The company’s major business areas continued to contribute to the expansion:
- India Mobile: Revenue increased 3.4% sequentially, supported by premiumisation and customer additions.
- Airtel Africa: Revenue grew 6.7% sequentially in constant-currency terms.
- Airtel Business: Revenue increased 3.8% sequentially and 11.4% year-on-year.
- Homes: The business added 676,000 customers during the quarter.
The performance demonstrates the importance of Airtel’s diversified operations. Its earnings are supported not only by mobile services in India but also by international operations, enterprise connectivity and fixed broadband.
ARPU Improves to ₹271 as Airtel Focuses on Premium Customers
Average revenue per user remained a key operating indicator during the quarter. Airtel’s India mobile ARPU reached ₹271, reflecting continued improvement in the revenue generated from each customer.
ARPU is calculated by dividing mobile service revenue by the average number of subscribers over a period. It helps telecom operators assess pricing strength, customer mix and monetisation.
Airtel’s strategy includes encouraging customers to move towards higher-value prepaid and postpaid plans, while expanding access to 4G and 5G services.
The company added 2.9 million smartphone data customers during Q2 FY27. It also recorded 1.2 million net postpaid customer additions, which management described as a record for the business.
These additions matter because smartphone and postpaid users can generate higher revenue through data consumption, premium plans and bundled services.
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