09 June 2025
Ericsson India has divested its 0.6% stake in Vodafone Idea (Vi), selling approximately 633.7 million shares at INR6.76 each for a total of INR4.28 billion. The sale occurred on Tuesday through a bulk deal, though the identity of the buyers remains undisclosed.
This move follows Ericsson India’s initial acquisition of a 0.9% stake in Vi in June 2024, valued at INR9.38 billion, as part of Vi’s fundraising efforts to support network expansion and to partially settle dues owed to Ericsson. The stake was subsequently diluted to 0.6% in March 2025 after the Indian government increased its ownership stake in Vi from 22.6% to nearly 49%.
Similarly, Nokia Solutions and Networks India also participated in Vi’s 2024 fundraising by purchasing a 1.5% stake valued at INR15.2 billion. Nokia later sold this stake in late April to a consortium of global investment banks for INR7.85 billion at a share price of INR7.65, with Goldman Sachs (Singapore) confirmed as one of the major buyers, acquiring shares worth INR4.57 billion (about 0.55% stake).
The recent sale indicates ongoing adjustments by major telecom equipment providers in their investments in Vi, amid the company’s evolving financial and strategic landscape.
