Bharti Airtel Plans InvIT For Optic Fibre Assets To Raise $2 Billion

Telecom major Bharti Airtel is in the fund-raising mode again. The company is planning to monetise its pan-India optic assets to raise around $2 billion.

Sources said the company is likely to launch an Infrastructure Investment Trust or InvIT for its optic fibre assets to raise $2 billion. When contacted for a confirmation of the story, Bharti Airtel did not respond.

The company has sent feelers to investment bankers on the proposed $2 billion fund raise, but is yet to decide if it would put its entire 2.7 lakh km optic fibre in the InvIT or just part of it.

Airtel was earlier in talks with Vodafone Idea to turn their proposed optic fibre network joint entity into an infrastructure investment trust (InvIT) and attract long-term investors. The move was aimed at reducing debt to free up cash to compete with Reliance Jio Infocomm.

Bharti Airtel reported of Rs 2,866 crore loss for June quarter

Rival Reliance Jio has already monetised its optic fibre assets through InvIT, by transferring its optic fibre cable and tower infrastructure to two entities — Digital Fibre Infrastructure Trust and Tower Infrastructure Trust , which would be wholly-owned subsidiaries of Reliance Industries.―Gadgets Now