Key Points:
- Airtel to invest ₹20,000 crore in its NBFC arm, Airtel Money Limited, to expand digital lending.
- NBFC license secured from RBI, enabling Airtel to scale regulated digital financial services.
- Focus on financial inclusion, using tech and data to serve underserved segments and narrow India’s credit gap.
Bharti Airtel on Monday announced a Rs 20,000 crore investment over the next few years to expand digital lending through its NBFC arm, Airtel Money Limited, following regulatory approval from the Reserve Bank of India.
The telecom major says the capital infusion aims to strengthen its presence in India’s fast-growing financial services market and help narrow the country’s credit gap.
Of the total Rs 20,000 crore investment, Airtel will contribute 70 per cent, while the remaining 30 per cent will come from the promoter group through Bharti Enterprises Limited.
Airtel Secures NBFC License, Scales Lending Platform
Airtel Money Limited received its non-banking financial company license from the Reserve Bank of India on Feb. 13, 2026, marking a strategic expansion into regulated digital lending.
The company says the move enables it to deepen financial inclusion by offering simple and secure digital financial services across the country.
Over the past two years, Airtel built a digital lending platform that disburses more than Rs 9,000 crore in loans. The company says its lending service provider model records steady growth, supported by disciplined underwriting and real-time risk monitoring.
Vittal Says Tech, Data Drive Differentiated Model
Gopal Vittal, executive vice chairman of Bharti Airtel, says the company’s lending platform reflects its ability to combine technology, data and customer trust at scale.
“Our NBFC expansion strengthens this foundation and reflects our ambition to build a differentiated, future-ready digital lending business, one that stands for trust, innovation and financial inclusion,” Vittal says in a statement.
The company says its digital platform is backed by a data and analytics engine powered by more than 500 data scientists. It adds that this infrastructure helps it scale while maintaining healthy loan performance metrics.
Capital Plan Targets India’s Credit Gap
India’s financial services sector is expanding rapidly, driven by digital adoption and rising demand for unsecured and small-ticket loans. Airtel says the additional capital will help it serve underserved and underbanked segments.
The company says its focus remains on maintaining prudent portfolio management as it scales operations under the NBFC framework.
As part of regulatory requirements, Airtel Money clarifies that while it holds a valid certificate of registration under the RBI Act, the Reserve Bank of India does not guarantee the financial soundness of the company or the repayment of its liabilities.
Shares of Bharti Airtel are in focus following the announcement, as investors assess the telecom operator’s push into financial services alongside its core connectivity business.
The company does not disclose a detailed timeline for the phased investment but says the capital will be deployed over the next few years to build a sustainable digital lending franchise.
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