Vodafone's India venture faces collapse despite cash injection

Company's failure would leave telecom duopoly, raising consumer concerns

Vodafone Idea says India's Supreme Court ruling threatens its survival, which it says depends on a "positive outcome" for negotiations with authorities over a moratorium and other relief measures. © Reuters

ROHIN KUMAR, Contributing writer

April 24, 2020 14:23 JST

NEW DELHI -- Despite a cash injection from an owner to help its operations during the novel coronavirus pandemic, Vodafone Idea, one of three key telecom operators in India, still faces an existential threat.

U.K.-based Vodafone, which owns about 45% of the India joint venture with local conglomerate Aditya Birla Group, on Wednesday said it accelerated a payment of $200 million to Vodafone Idea so that it has sufficient liquidity to operate as business conditions deteriorate amid a nationwide lockdown.