BSNL Posts Back-to-Back Profits for First Time in 18 Years

In a significant milestone for India’s public sector telecom giant, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has recorded back-to-back quarterly profits for the first time in 18 years, signaling a strong turnaround driven by disciplined cost control, asset monetisation, and large-scale infrastructure investment. In Q4 of FY 2024–25, BSNL reported a profit of ₹280 crore, following a ₹262 crore profit in Q3. This shift reflects the government’s sustained support and the company’s strategic focus on 4G rollout, operational efficiency, and financial prudence.

Why in News?

BSNL has reported back-to-back net profits for the first time since its inception, with ₹262 crore in Q3 and ₹280 crore in Q4 of FY 2024–25. This development is considered a major success under the Digital India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives, with renewed emphasis on indigenous telecom infrastructure and service reach.

Key Highlights

• Q4 FY25 PAT: ₹280 crore (vs. loss of ₹849 crore in Q4 FY24).
• Q3 FY25 PAT: ₹262 crore — first-ever back-to-back profitable quarters.
• Annual Loss: Reduced to ₹2,247 crore in FY25 (vs. ₹5,370 crore in FY24) — a 58% reduction.
• EBITDA Margin: Up from 10.15% (FY24) to 23.01% (FY25).
• Operating Revenue: ₹20,841 crore (7.8% growth YoY).
• Total Income: ₹23,427 crore (10% growth YoY).
• Finance Costs: Reduced by 14% YoY to ₹1,527 crore.

Revenue by Segment

• Mobility incl. IUC: ₹7,499 crore (+6%)
• FTTH (Fibre-to-the-Home): ₹2,923 crore (+10%)
• Leased Lines & Enterprise: ₹4,096 crore (+3.5%)
• Asset Monetisation: ₹1,120 crore (+77%)

Capital Investment

• Record CAPEX in FY25: ₹26,022 crore
• ₹15,324 cr in Equipment/Towers
• ₹10,698 cr in Spectrum (mainly for 4G)
• Depreciation & Amortisation: ₹6,283 crore (↑ from ₹5,755 cr)

Circle-wise Performance

• EBITDA-positive Circles: 27 in FY25 (vs. 17 in FY24)
• PAT-positive Circles: 10 in FY25 (vs. 3 in FY24)

Future Outlook

• Continued revenue growth and reduced costs expected.
• Short-term PAT may dip due to high depreciation from new spectrum and infrastructure investments.

Medium-to-long-term outlook remains robust, supported by,

• Nationwide rollout of 4G/5G
• Use of indigenous telecom equipment
• 5G Network-as-a-Service model
• Accelerated fibre backhaul upgradation

Summary/Static	Details
Why in the news?	BSNL Posts Back-to-Back Profits for First Time in 18 Years
Q4 FY25 Profit	₹280 crore
Q3 FY25 Profit	₹262 crore
Annual Loss FY25	₹2,247 crore (↓ 58% YoY)
EBITDA FY25	₹5,396 crore (Margin: 23.01%)
Total Income FY25	₹23,427 crore (↑ 10% YoY)
Record CAPEX (FY25)	₹26,022 crore
Asset Monetisation FY25	₹1,120 crore (↑ 77%)