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Airtel Sets Up Panel To Explore Fund Raising Options

According to reports, the company has plans to raise around $2 billion to strengthen its balance sheet. 

Bharti Airtel Ltd. sales assistants serve customers at the company’s flagship store in Mumbai. (Photographer: Kuni Takahashi/Bloomberg)
Bharti Airtel Ltd. sales assistants serve customers at the company’s flagship store in Mumbai. (Photographer: Kuni Takahashi/Bloomberg)

Telecom operator Bharti Airtel Ltd. on Thursday constituted a committee to explore options for raising funds to strengthen its balance sheet.

According to reports, the company has plans to raise around $2 billion.

The company at its meeting held today has formed and authorised “special committee of directors for fund raising” to comprehensively explore/evaluate various options of fund raising for the company to strengthen its capital structure and balance sheet.
Bharti Airtel Exchange Filing

The company, however, didn't quote the amount it plans to raise. The committee will have to place the final recommendation before the board for its approval and final decision, it said.

Bharti Airtel had recently raised $1.25 billion from six global investors—Warburg Pincus, Temasek, Singtel, SoftBank Group and others—through a primary equity issuance in Airtel Africa.

The telecom major used the fund to reduce Airtel Africa's existing debt of approximately $5 billion. The consolidated debt of Bharti Airtel stood at around $16 billion at the end of July-September period.