Govt set to become largest shareholder of Vi, to own 35.8% stake

Currently, the Aditya Birla group holds around 27.7 per cent while Vodafone Group holds 44.3 per cent in the telco

The government is set to own 35.8 per cent in Vodafone Idea (Vi) after the financially-stressed telco decided to convert interest on deferred spectrum and adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues into equity. This makes the Union government the single-largest shareholder in Vi, a joint venture between the Aditya Birla group and UK-headquartered Vodafone.    

Vodafone Idea is not the only telco in which the government is picking up a stake. It would also own 9.5 per cent in Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Limited (TTML) through the same route, according to announcements made on Tuesday. The latest development implies government holding in four