Airtel outlines mega NBFC plans; subsidiary set for ₹20,000 crore capitalisation in coming years

Bharti Airtel on Monday outlined major plans for its Non-Banking Financial Company, Airtel Money, and said the NBFC subsidiary will be capitalised with ₹20,000 crore over the next few years.

Airtel will contribute 70% with the promoter group via Bharti Enterprises bringing in the balance 30%.

Airtel Money received its NBFC licence from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on February 13, 2026.

"Bharti Airtel...today announced major plans for its Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), Airtel Money Limited, underscoring its commitment to narrow the credit gap in India," a release said.

The NBFC subsidiary will be capitalised with ₹20,000 crore to be injected over the next few years.

With strong digital assets, a large data and analytics engine powered by 500 plus data scientists, and deep operational expertise, Airtel said it aims to rapidly expand access to simple, secure, and innovative digital financial services across India.

Airtel's digital platform

Airtel has built a credit engine over the last two years, powered by its digital platform and deeply integrated channels, "resulting in one of India’s strongest lending service provider (LSP) models".

The platform has already achieved hyperscale adoption with over ₹9,000 crore in disbursements - supported by delinquency outcomes, driven by robust underwriting models, disciplined portfolio management, and real-time risk monitoring.

Lending service provider model

"The success of our LSP platform over the past two years is proof of our ability to combine technology, data, and customer trust to deliver impact at a national scale. We have built one of India’s most trusted and scalable digital credit engines—reaching millions with high-quality credit supported by industry's best performance metrics,” Gopal Vittal, Executive Vice Chairman, Bharti Airtel said.

The NBFC expansion strengthens this foundation and reflects the ambition to build a differentiated, future-ready digital lending business "one that stands for trust, innovation, and financial inclusion, Vittal said.

This strategic expansion in India’s fast-growing financial services sector underscores Airtel’s commitment to deepening financial inclusion and empowering underserved consumers, the statement elaborated.

Formal credit to GDP ratio in India is at 53%, according to Care Edge Ratings, the statistics highlights the scope for lending in the country.

"The expansion is also a natural adjacency that will leverage the large Airtel customer base to build the next growth engine for the company and further diversify its portfolio," the release said.

The disbursement journey of the NBFC will be seamlessly integrated with the LSP platform, while maintaining clear operational segregation between the two, giving the customer best-in-class experience. By combining technology, data, and customer understanding at scale, Airtel aims to set a new benchmark for digital financial services in India, it said.