MUMBAI -- India's Supreme Court on Tuesday gave telecom companies including Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea just 10 years to make good on 1.6 trillion rupees ($21.9 billion) in dues owed to the government.
The court also ordered the carriers to pay 10% of the pending dues by March 31, default on which will incur penalties, interest and contempt of court. A request by the telecommunications companies to allow 15-year installments was not approved.
