We have audited the accompanying standalone financialstatements of BHARTI AIRTEL LIMITED ("the Company"),which comprise the Standalone Balance Sheet as at March 31,2026 and the Standalone Statement of Profit and Loss (includingOther Comprehensive Income), the Standalone Statementof Changes in Equity and the Standalone Statement of CashFlows for the year ended on that date and notes to the financialstatements, including a summary of material accountingpolicies and other explanatory information (hereinafterreferred to as "the Standalone Financial Statements").
In our opinion and to the best of our information and accordingto the explanations given to us, the aforesaid StandaloneFinancial Statements give the information required by theCompanies Act, 2013 ("the Act") in the manner so requiredand give a true and fair view in conformity with the IndianAccounting Standards as notified by the Ministry of CorporateAffairs ('MCA') under Section 133 of the Act, read together withRule 3 of the Companies (Indian Accounting Standards) Rules,2015 (as amended from time to time) ("Ind AS") and otheraccounting principles generally accepted in India, of the stateof affairs of the Company as at March 31, 2026, its profit, othercomprehensive income, its changes in equity and its cashflows for the year ended on that date.
Basis for Opinion
We conducted our audit of the Standalone Financial Statementsin accordance with the Standards on Auditing specified undersection 143(10) of the Act ("SAs"). Our responsibilities under thoseStandards are further described in the Auditor's Responsibilityfor the Audit of the Standalone Financial Statements sectionof our report below. We are independent of the Company inaccordance with the Code of Ethics issued by the Institute ofChartered Accountants of India ("ICAI") together with the ethicalrequirements that are relevant to our audit of the StandaloneFinancial Statements under the provisions of the Act and theRules made thereunder and we have fulfilled our other ethicalresponsibilities in accordance with these requirements andthe ICAI's Code of Ethics. We believe that the audit evidenceobtained by us is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basisfor our audit opinion on the Standalone Financial Statements.
Key Audit Matters
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professionaljudgment, were of most significance in our audit of theStandalone Financial Statements of the current period.These matters were addressed in the context of our auditof the Standalone Financial Statements as a whole andin forming our opinion thereon and we do not provide aseparate opinion on these matters. We have determined thematters described below to be the key audit matters to becommunicated in our report.
Sr.
Key Audit MatterNo
Auditor's Response
1 Revenue from operations:
Principal audit procedures
We considered accuracy of revenues relating to prepaidand postpaid mobile services and homes services asa key audit matter because of the complexity of the ITsystems, significant volume of data processed by the ITsystems and updation of tariff plans in the IT systems.
We obtained an understanding, evaluated the design andtested the implementation and operating effectiveness of (i) thegeneral IT controls, automated controls, interfaces and systemgenerated reports relevant for revenue recognition by involvingour IT specialist; (ii) control over tariff plan configuration in therelevant IT systems; and (iii) control over validation of validityprovided to the customer as per masters and rate charged in calldata records (CDRs) with price masters.
We tested inter se reconciliations between relevant IT systems(such as billing system and prepaid application systems) andwith general ledger and performed verification of revenuerecognised, deferred and unbilled revenue.
We performed independent testing of call and data benefits toevidence that the amount charged, benefit given and validityprovided to the subscribers are consistent with the approvedtariff plans.
We performed test of details for postpaid and homesrevenue by testing invoices, plans selected by customers andcollections made.
No
Key Audit Matter
Refer note 2.18 "Revenue recognition" for accountingpolicies, note 3.2.d 'Revenue recognition andpresentation' under the head 'Critical judgements inapplying the Company's accounting policies' and note23 on disclosures related to Revenue from operations inthe standalone financial statements.
We used data analytics to perform substantive analyticalprocedure to develop an expectation of the revenue basispast trends of number of subscribers and revenue earned andcompared the results of the expectation with actual revenue anddid not identify material differences.
We verified the appropriateness of the accounting policies andthe disclosures related to Revenue from operations in notes 2.18,3.2.d and 23 respectively in the standalone financial statements.
2
Provisions and contingencies relating to regulatorymatters:
The Company has recognised provisions for probableoutflows relating to regulatory matters, as applicableand have disclosed contingencies for regulatorymatters where the obligations are considered possible.The Company, in consultation with the legal advisersassess likelihood of outflow of resources to settle suchregulatory matters. In performing this assessment,the Company applies judgement and has recognisedprovisions based on whether additional amounts will bepayable and has disclosed contingent liabilities whereeconomic outflows are considered possible.
We have considered the provisions recorded andthe contingencies relating to regulatory matters asa key audit matter as there is significant judgementto determine the possible outcome of matters underdispute and determining the amounts involved, whichmay vary depending on the outcome of the matters.
Refer note 2.17 "Contingencies" for accounting policies,note 3.1.e 'Contingent liabilities and provisions' underthe head "Key sources of estimation uncertainties", note19 "Provisions" for disclosure related to provisions forsubjudice matters and Note 22(I) in respect of detailsof Contingent liabilities in the standalone financialstatements.
Principal audit procedures:
We obtained an understanding, evaluated the design and testedthe implementation and operating effectiveness of internalcontrols relating to:
• identification, evaluation, recognition of provisions,disclosure of contingencies for matters under review orappeal with relevant adjudicating authorities by consideringthe assumptions and information used by management inperforming this assessment and
• completeness and accuracy of the underlying data /information used in the assessment.
For regulatory matters, we evaluated the reasonableness of themanagement's positions by considering relevant assessmentorders, court judgements, statutes, interpretations andamendments, circulars and external legal opinion obtained bythe Company, where applicable.
We also evaluated the disclosures provided in the notes to thestandalone financial statements concerning these matters.
Information Other than the FinancialStatements and Auditor's Report Thereon
The Company's Board of Directors are responsible for the otherinformation. The other information comprises the ManagementDiscussion and Analysis, Board's Report including Annexuresto the Board's Report, Business Responsibility & SustainabilityReport and Corporate Governance Report, but does notinclude the Consolidated Financial Statements, StandaloneFinancial Statements and our auditor's reports thereon.
Our opinion on the Standalone Financial Statements does notcover the other information and we do not express any form ofassurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the Standalone FinancialStatements, our responsibility is to read the other informationand, in doing so, consider whether the other informationis materially inconsistent with the Standalone FinancialStatements, or our knowledge obtained during the course ofour audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated.
If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude thatthere is a material misstatement of this other information, weare required to report that fact. We have nothing to reportin this regard.
Responsibilities of Management and ThoseCharged with Governance for the StandaloneFinancial Statements
The Company's Board of Directors is responsible for thematters stated in section 134(5) of the Act with respect to thepreparation of these Standalone Financial Statements thatgive a true and fair view of the financial position, financialperformance including other comprehensive income/(loss), changes in equity and cash flows of the Company inaccordance with the Ind AS and other accounting principlesgenerally accepted in India. This responsibility also includesmaintenance of adequate accounting records in accordancewith the provisions of the Act for safeguarding the assets ofthe Company and for preventing and detecting frauds and
other irregularities; selection and application of appropriateaccounting policies; making judgments and estimates thatare reasonable and prudent; and design, implementationand maintenance of adequate internal financial controls,that were operating effectively for ensuring the accuracyand completeness of the accounting records, relevant to thepreparation and presentation of the Standalone FinancialStatements that give a true and fair view and are free frommaterial misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the Standalone Financial Statements,management and the Board of Directors are responsible forassessing the Company's ability to continue as a going concern,disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern andusing the going concern basis of accounting unless Board ofDirectors either intends to liquidate the Company or to ceaseoperations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
Company's Board of Directors are also responsible foroverseeing the Company's financial reporting process.
Auditor's Responsibility for the Audit of theStandalone Financial Statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance aboutwhether the Standalone Financial Statements as a wholeare free from material misstatement, whether due to fraudor error and to issue an auditor's report that includes ouropinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance,but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordancewith SAs will always detect a material misstatement when itexists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and areconsidered material if, individually or in the aggregate, theycould reasonably be expected to influence the economicdecisions of users taken on the basis of these StandaloneFinancial Statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with SAs, we exerciseprofessional judgment and maintain professional skepticismthroughout the audit. We also:
• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatementof the Standalone Financial Statements, whether dueto fraud or error, design and perform audit proceduresresponsive to those risks and obtain audit evidence thatis sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for ouropinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatementresulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting fromerror, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentionalomissions, misrepresentations, or the override ofinternal control.
• Obtain an understanding of internal financial controlsrelevant to the audit in order to design audit proceduresthat are appropriate in the circumstances. Under section143(3)(i) of the Act, we are also responsible for expressingour opinion on whether the Company has adequateinternal financial controls with reference to standalonefinancial statements in place and the operatingeffectiveness of Company's internal financial controls.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies usedand the reasonableness of accounting estimates andrelated disclosures made by the management.
• Conclude on the appropriateness of management's use ofthe going concern basis of accounting and, based on theaudit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertaintyexists related to events or conditions that may castsignificant doubt on the Company's ability to continueas a going concern. If we conclude that a materialuncertainty exists, we are required to draw attentionin our auditor's report to the related disclosures in theStandalone Financial Statements or, if such disclosuresare inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusionsare based on the audit evidence obtained up to thedate of our auditor's report. However, future events orconditions may cause the Company to cease to continueas a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and contentof the Standalone Financial Statements, includingthe disclosures and whether the Standalone FinancialStatements represent the underlying transactions andevents in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
Materiality is the magnitude of misstatements in theStandalone Financial Statements that, individually or inaggregate, makes it probable that the economic decisions ofa reasonably knowledgeable user of the Standalone FinancialStatements may be influenced. We consider quantitativemateriality and qualitative factors in (i) planning the scope ofour audit work and in evaluating the results of our work; and(ii) to evaluate the effect of any identified misstatements in theStandalone Financial Statements.
We communicate with those charged with governanceregarding, among other matters, the planned scope andtiming of the audit and significant audit findings, including anysignificant deficiencies in internal financial controls that weidentify during our audit.
We also provide those charged with governance with astatement that we have complied with relevant ethicalrequirements regarding independence and to communicatewith them all relationships and other matters that mayreasonably be thought to bear on our independence and whereapplicable, related safeguards.
From the matters communicated with those charged withgovernance, we determine those matters that were ofmost significance in the audit of the Standalone FinancialStatements of the current period and are therefore the keyaudit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor'sreport unless law or regulation precludes public disclosureabout the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances,we determine that a matter should not be communicated inour report because the adverse consequences of doing sowould reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interestbenefits of such communication.
Report on Other Legal and RegulatoryRequirements
1. As required by Section 143(3) of the Act, based on our
audit, we report that:
a) We have sought and obtained all the information andexplanations which to the best of our knowledge andbelief were necessary for the purposes of our audit.
b) In our opinion, proper books of account as requiredby law have been kept by the Company so far as itappears from our examination of those books.
c) The Standalone Balance Sheet, the StandaloneStatement of Profit and Loss including OtherComprehensive Income, the Standalone Statementof Changes in Equity and the Standalone Statementof Cash Flows dealt with by this Report are inagreement with the books of account.
d) In our opinion, the aforesaid Standalone FinancialStatements comply with Ind AS specified underSection 133 of the Act.
e) On the basis of the written representations receivedfrom the directors as on March 31, 2026 takenon record by the Board of Directors, none of thedirectors is disqualified as on March 31, 2026 frombeing appointed as a director in terms of Section164(2) of the Act.
f) With respect to the adequacy of the internal financialcontrols with reference to Standalone FinancialStatements of the Company and the operatingeffectiveness of such controls, refer to our separateReport in "Annexure A". Our report expressesan unmodified opinion on the adequacy andoperating effectiveness of the Company's internalfinancial controls with reference to StandaloneFinancial Statements.
g) With respect to the other matters to beincluded in the Auditor's Report in accordancewith the requirements of section 197(16) of theAct, as amended,
In our opinion and to the best of our informationand according to the explanations given to us, theremuneration paid by the Company to its directorsduring the year is in accordance with the provisionsof section 197 of the Act.
h) With respect to the other matters to be includedin the Auditor's Report in accordance with Rule11 of the Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules,2014, as amended, in our opinion and to thebest of our information and according to theexplanations given to us:
i. The Company has disclosed the impact ofpending litigations on its financial position in itsStandalone Financial Statements (Refer Note22 (I) to the Standalone Financial Statements).
ii. The Company has made provision, as requiredunder the applicable law or accountingstandards, for material foreseeable losses,if any, on long-term contracts includingderivative contracts (Refer Note 19 to theStandalone Financial Statements).
iii. There has been no delay in transferringamounts, required to be transferred, to theInvestor Education and Protection Fundby the Company.
iv. (a) The Management has represented that,
to the best of its knowledge and belief,no funds have been advanced or loanedor invested (either from borrowed fundsor share premium or any other sources orkind of funds) by the Company to or in anyother person(s) or entity(ies), includingforeign entities ("Intermediaries"), withthe understanding, whether recorded inwriting or otherwise, that the Intermediaryshall, directly or indirectly lend or invest inother persons or entities identified in anymanner whatsoever by or on behalf of theCompany ("Ultimate Beneficiaries") orprovide any guarantee, security or the likeon behalf of the Ultimate Beneficiaries.(Refer note 42 of the StandaloneFinancial Statements).
(b) The Management has represented, that,to the best of its knowledge and belief, nofunds have been received by the Companyfrom any person(s) or entity(ies), includingforeign entities ("Funding Parties"), withthe understanding, whether recorded inwriting or otherwise, that the Companyshall, directly or indirectly, lend or investin other persons or entities identifiedin any manner whatsoever by or onbehalf of the Funding Party ("UltimateBeneficiaries") or provide any guarantee,security or the like on behalf of theUltimate Beneficiaries. (Refer note 42 ofthe Standalone Financial Statements).
(c) Based on the audit procedures performedthat have been considered reasonable andappropriate in the circumstances, nothinghas come to our notice that has causedus to believe that the representationsunder sub-clause (i) and (ii) of Rule 11(e), asprovided under (a) and (b) above, containany material misstatement.
v. The final dividend proposed in the previousyear, declared and paid by the Company duringthe year is in accordance with section 123 of theAct, as applicable.
As stated in note 15(i) to the StandaloneFinancial Statements, the Board of Directorsof the Company has proposed final dividendfor the year which is subject to the approvalof the members at the ensuing AnnualGeneral Meeting. Such dividend proposedis in accordance with section 123 of theAct, as applicable.
vi. Based on our examination which includedtest checks, the Company has used variousaccounting and related softwares formaintaining its books of account for the yearended March 31, 2026, wherein the audit trail(edit log) feature was enabled through-outthe year for accounting and related softwaresused by the Company for maintaining its booksof accounts. (Refer note 43 of the StandaloneFinancial Statements).
Further, during the course of our audit, wedid not come across any instances of audittrail (edit log) feature being tampered with foraforesaid accounting and related softwares for
the period for which the audit trail feature wasenabled and operating.
Additionally, the audit trail has been preservedby the Company as per the statutoryrequirements for record retention for theperiod for which it was enabled and operated.
2. As required by the Companies (Auditor's Report) Order,2020 ("the Order") issued by the Central Government interms of Section 143(11) of the Act, we give in "Annexure B"a statement on the matters specified in paragraphs 3 and4 of the Order.
For DELOITTE HASKINS & SELLS LLP
Chartered Accountants(Firm's Registration No. 117366W/W-100018)
Vijay Agarwal
Partner
Place: Gurugram (Membership No. 094468)
Date: May 13, 2026 (UDIN: 26094468WPPUMT5052)