Vodafone Idea May Hang Up, Says Birla

It will be ‘end of story’ for telco if government does not provide relief on past statutory dues

Vodafone Idea Ltd., India’s third-largest mobile service provider, will shut down if the government does not provide relief on the liability it faces on account of past statutory dues following a Supreme Court order, chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla said on Friday.

“If we are not getting anything, then I think it is the end of story for Vodafone Idea,” Mr. Birla said at an event when asked about the future of Vodafone Idea in the absence of any relief from the government with regard to payment of ₹53,038 crore in dues.

Mr. Birla’s Idea Cellular and British telecom giant Vodafone Plc.’s India unit had merged last year to compete with the onslaught of free voice calling and dirt cheap data unleashed by Reliance Jio.