Five months before the put option window closes, JP Morgan has come out with a report stating that Essar's stake in Vodafone Essar is around $2 billion, which is far less than what the shareholder agreement between the two companies in 2007 envisaged.
The first notice in the transaction relating to the sale of 67 per cent stake of Hutchison Essar Ltd was issued on March 15, 2007, under section 133(6) of the Income Tax Act.
Vodafone Group, the world's largest mobile operator by sales, is set to slash up to 500 jobs in the UK, says a media report.
Maintaining that no tax liability arises from its $11 billion buyout deal with Hutchison in 2007, UK-based telecom major Vodafone today said it would continue to "vigorously" pursue the case in the Indian court.
This equity capital infusion is the country's largest-ever FDI.
Piramal owns an 11 per cent stake in Vodafone India.
The brand integration not only marks the completion of the largest telecom merger in the world, but will also set the company on its future journey to offer strong digital experiences to 1 billion Indians on its 4G network.
A shareholder of Vodafone Group has urged the company to abandon its plans to acquire India's Hutch Essar, saying the British telecom giant could overpay for the deal, British daily The Times reported on Friday.
Delaying GAAR is seen as a move partly designed to help solve Vodafone dispute.
Vodafone Group Plc Chief Executive Vittorio Colao today said the company could list its Indian arm and was open to acquisitions when opportunities are available in the country. The head of the world's largest mobile company in terms of revenues suggested changes in the regulatory regime for mergers and acquisitions.
The conversion of interest into equity stake for the government in Vodafone Idea (Vi) will be decided after the telecommunications (telecom) company's stock price stabilises above Rs 10, India's largest mobile tower installation company Indus Towers has said in its second-quarter report. The board of Vi had, in January, approved the conversion of Rs 16,130 crore worth of interest on adjusted gross revenue dues into equity for the government. This will give the government around 33 per cent stake in Vi.
The money will be used to build capacity.
The company says the reminder does not include a deadline for payment.
Vodafone recently bought the 67 per cent stake held by Hutchison. The remaining equity is held by the Ruias.
Vodafone Group, the world's biggest mobile phone group by revenue, is to end its sponsorship of the English cricket team following a strategic review of its sponsorship portfolio. Vodafone and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement that the current four-year sponsorship agreement would conclude at the end of the winter tour of South Africa in January 2010.
British telecom giant Vodafone Group on Tuesday posted 14 per cent growth in operating earnings from India's business to 1.12 billion pounds (about Rs 9,749 crore) for 2011-12 helped by rising customer base and strong growth in voice-call minutes.
A day after Vodafone Idea Ltd opted to convert interest on dues to government equity, its CEO on Wednesday said the government had made its position amply clear that it does not want to run the telco, and added that existing promoters are fully committed to managing and running the company's operations. Vodafone Idea (VIL) on Tuesday announced its decision to opt for converting about Rs 16,000 crore interest dues liability payable to the government into equity, which will amount to around 35.8 per cent stake in the company. If the plan goes through, the government will become the biggest shareholder in the company which is reeling under a debt burden of about Rs 1.95 lakh crore.
Investors would track a host of macroeconomic data announcements scheduled this week, including inflation numbers, and also monitor global market trends, and trading activity of foreign institutional investors, analysts said. The ongoing quarterly earnings announcements and the rupee-dollar trend would also influence the markets.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram has asked UK-based Vodafone Group, which is facing a tax liability of over Rs 11,200 crore in India, to give its view on the long-pending matter in writing, a senior official said.
UK-based Vodafone Group has ruled out selling its around 5 per cent stake in the holding company of Bharti Airtel in the near future as there is no buyer.
India's largest telecom operator in terms of subscriber numbers has been struggling to raise its share of subscribers in the market for fourth-generation technology services.
The foreign investment regulator cleared a decision on Vodafone Group Plc's $1.6 billion plan to take full ownership of its local unit.
This is the single largest foreign investment in India so far.
"As someone who was born and raised in India, I recognise the urgent need for our youth to be empowered from a knowledge perspective. We believe the Foundation will become an effective catalyst in this regard, Vodafone Chief Executive Officer Arun Sarin said.
A new board has been constituted for the merged entity 'Vodafone Idea Ltd' with 12 directors (including six independent directors) and Kumar Mangalam Birla as its Chairman. The board has appointed Balesh Sharma as the CEO, the companies said in a joint statement. The combination will have an all-India revenue market share of 32.2 per cent and take the numero uno slot in nine telecom circles, it said adding that both Vodafone and Idea brands will continue.
The Bombay High Court had last week dismissed Vodafone International's petition challenging the Indian tax authorities demand of Rs 12,000 crore (Rs 120 billion) in tax over the Hutchison deal.
British telecom major Vodafone has raised its stake in debt-ridden Vodafone Idea Limited to 47.61 per cent through its subsidiary Prime Metals, a regulatory filing said on Monday. The company earlier held 44.39 per cent stake in Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL). "Prime Metals held 2,18,55,26,081 equity shares, representing 7.61 per cent of the equity share capital, of Vodafone Idea Limited (the "company").
The Ruias of the Essar Group will now be getting around $750 million (about Rs 3,493 crore) more from their telecom joint venture partner, Vodafone Group, over and above the fair market price if they exercise the "put" option for their 33.02 per cent stake.
Vodafone's operating loss from India business jumped to 692 million euros in April-September from 133 million euros in the same period last year.
The company, part of the UK-based Vodafone Group, had posted an adjusted operating profit of GBP 60 million (about Rs 503 crore) in the year-ago period, it said.
The British teleco is bidding hard for cellular operator Hutchison Essar. At stake: the world's fastest growing mobile market-and Vodafone's reputation.
The British mobile phone operator was widely expected to go for an international arbitration after its talks with the Indian government failed to find a solution last year.
The police had filed charges in December against Bharti Airtel and Vodafone's India unit.
Vodafone's revenues for the third quarter have gone up by 16%, thanks to good performance in emerging markets including India.
The Guardian reported that accounts filed in Dublin showed that in 2009 Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs settled a dispute with the British telecoms provider over its Irish tax returns.
The government may be waiting for the outcome of an arbitration initiated against its levy of Rs 10,247 crore retrospective tax on UK's Cairn Energy Plc before deciding on appealing against losing a tax case against Vodafone Group, sources said. An international arbitral tribunal is expected to give a decree within next few days on Cairn Energy Plc's challenge to the Indian government seeking Rs 10,247 crore in retrospective taxes. If the arbitration award in the Cairn cases goes against India, the government has to pay the British firm over Rs 7,600 crore to reverse the dividend and tax refund it had ceased and shares it sold to recover part of the tax demand.
Vodafone Group Plc won the Indian cabinet's approval for its $1.6 billion deal to buy out minority partners in its unit in the country, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said on Thursday.