Brief
Airtel narrows market‑share gap with Jio to 1.3 points in August 2026
TRAI data shows Airtel at 38.01% and Jio at 39.31% in August, tightening competition ahead of Jio's planned mega IPO.
By Felo News Desk · Published
According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Bharti Airtel's mobile‑operator market share rose to 38.01% in August 2026, narrowing the gap with Reliance Jio to just 1.30 percentage points, as reported by the New Indian Express.
TRAI's figures place Jio at 39.31% of the market, down from a peak above 41% in 2025, while Airtel has climbed from 33.59% in August 2025 to over 38% by the end of 2025 and into 2026. The report notes that Airtel's gains may stem partly from customers switching from Vodafone Idea and state‑run BSNL, not solely from Jio.
Airtel's average revenue per user (ARPU) rose to Rs 264 in the latest quarter, a 9.2% year‑on‑year increase, the highest among Indian telecom firms. The company attributes the rise to premiumisation of its portfolio and a higher share of postpaid subscribers.
Jio is preparing a mega IPO expected to raise between Rs 37,000 crore and Rs 37,700 crore, which could become one of India's largest public offerings.
Key facts
- Airtel's market share was 38.01% in August 2026. (newindianexpress.com)
- Jio's market share was 39.31% in August 2026. (newindianexpress.com)
- The gap between the two operators narrowed to 1.30 percentage points. (newindianexpress.com)
- Airtel's ARPU rose to Rs 264, a 9.2% YoY increase. (newindianexpress.com)
- Jio's planned mega IPO size is reported at Rs 37,000‑37,700 crore. (newindianexpress.com)
Sources
- [1] newindianexpress.com — originally reported as “Airtel closes in on Jio ahead of mega IPO, market-share gap narrows to 1. 3 percentage points”
