Airtel board sets up committee to explore fund raising options for strengthening balance sheet

New Delhi: Telecom operator Bharti Airtel board Thursday constituted a committee to explore options for raising funds to strengthen the company’s balance sheet. According to reports, the company has plans to raise around $2 billion. “The company at its meeting held today has formed and authorised ‘special committee of directors for fundraising’ to comprehensively explore/evaluate various options of fundraising for the company to strengthen its capital structure and balance sheet,” Bharti Airtel said in an exchange filing. [caption id=“attachment_4546351” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Airtel. Representational image. Reuters[/caption] The company, however, did not quote the amount it plans to raise. The committee will have to place the final recommendation before the board for its approval and final decision, it added. Bharti Airtel had recently raised $1.25 billion from six global investors – Warburg Pincus, Temasek, Singtel, SoftBank Group and others through a primary equity issuance in Airtel Africa. The telecom major used the fund to reduce Airtel Africa’s existing debt of approximately $5 billion. The consolidated debt of Bharti Airtel stood at around $16 billion at the end of July-September 2018 period.