Idea Cellular — now merged with Vodafone India to form Vi (Vodafone Idea Limited) — was one of India’s largest mobile network operators, founded by the Aditya Birla Group and listed on BSE and NSE. The 2018 merger created Vi: India’s third-largest telecom operator, competing against Reliance Jio and Airtel.
| Merged Entity | Vi (Vodafone Idea Limited) |
| Idea Founder | Aditya Birla Group (Kumar Mangalam Birla) |
| Merger Date | August 2018 |
| Vi Owners | Vodafone Group UK ~45% | Aditya Birla ~18% | Govt ~23% |
| Vi CEO | Akshaya Moondra |
| Listed | BSE: 540065 | NSE: IDEA |
Who Owned Idea Cellular?
Idea Cellular was majority-controlled by the Aditya Birla Group — the $60B conglomerate of Kumar Mangalam Birla headquartered in Mumbai. In 2018, Idea merged with Vodafone India to form Vi (Vodafone Idea Limited). Post-merger: Vodafone Group (UK) ~45%, Aditya Birla Group ~18%, Government of India ~23% (via AGR conversion). Listed under NSE ticker “IDEA”. See also: Vodafone India, Airtel India.
Who is the CEO of Vi?
Akshaya Moondra is MD & CEO of Vodafone Idea (Vi), appointed in 2023. He leads Vi’s capital raise efforts and 5G spectrum acquisition against Jio and Airtel. Vi faces massive AGR dues (₹58,000+ crore) owed to the government.
History of Idea Cellular
Idea Cellular launched in 1995 as a joint venture between Birla Group, Tata Group, and AT&T. Tata and AT&T exited over time, leaving the Birla family as dominant promoter. Idea expanded to pan-India operations by 2012. When Reliance Jio launched in 2016, Idea’s revenues collapsed. The Vodafone-Idea merger in 2018 was a defensive consolidation. The government converted its AGR interest into ~23% equity stake in 2022.
Key Milestones
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1995 | Idea Cellular founded — Birla/Tata/AT&T JV |
| 2012 | Pan-India operations complete |
| 2016 | Jio launches; Idea revenues collapse |
| Aug 2018 | Merges with Vodafone India → Vi |
| 2022 | Government converts AGR to equity → ~23% stake |