India’s telecom giant Bharti Airtel has set the bar higher in the second quarter of FY26, reporting a robust 73.6% year-on-year surge in net profit to Rs 6,792 crore (Q2 FY26) and a staggering 25.7% increase in consolidated revenues to Rs 52,145 crore. The results significantly outpaced market expectations, cementing Airtel’s leadership in India’s fiercely competitive telecom sector and reflecting a broad-based business revival across both India and Africa operations[1].

Q2 FY26: A Quarter of Record Performance

The numbers speak for themselves. Airtel’s consolidated net profit climbed to Rs 6,792 crore, a remarkable 14% sequential (quarter-over-quarter) jump and a 73.6% year-on-year leap[2][3]. This surge is underpinned by a 25.7% annual and 5.4% quarterly revenue growth, driven by both strong operational performance and higher customer paying capacity[1]. The India business alone contributed Rs 38,690 crore in quarterly revenues, up 22.6% YoY and 2.9% QoQ[1].

Key Financial Highlights

• Consolidated Revenues: Rs 52,145 crore (+25.7% YoY, +5.4% QoQ)
• Net Profit: Rs 6,792 crore (+73.6% YoY, +14% QoQ)
• India Business Revenues: Rs 38,690 crore (+22.6% YoY, +2.9% QoQ)
• Mobile ARPU (Average Revenue Per User): Rs 256 (vs Rs 233 in Q2 FY25)
• Mobile Data Consumption: 28.3 GB per month per customer (+26.6% YoY)
• Homes Business Net Adds: 951,000 (record high)
• Smartphone Data Customers: 78% of overall mobile customer base (up 22.2 million YoY)
• Postpaid Net Adds: 950,000

Drivers of Growth

What’s fueling Bharti Airtel’s extraordinary Q2 FY26 performance? Analysts and Airtel’s management point to a multi-pronged growth strategy:

1. Premiumization in Mobile Business

Airtel’s mobile ARPU rise to Rs 256 is a testament to the company’s focus on premium customers and data monetization. The 13.2% YoY increase in India Mobile revenue was led by more customers upgrading from basic phones to smartphones and consuming higher volumes of data[1]. Mobile data consumption jumped 26.6% year-on-year, reflecting robust demand for streaming, gaming, and digital services[1].

Growth in postpaid customers—who tend to deliver higher ARPU and lower churn—also contributed, with 950,000 net adds in Q2. Today, smartphone data customer numbers have risen nearly 80% of the overall mobile base, signaling rapid digital adoption[1].

2. Homes Business: Record Customer Additions

Airtel’s Homes (fixed-line broadband) business delivered a 30.2% YoY revenue surge, with a record 951,000 net additions in Q2</