New Delhi, May 16 -- Vodafone Idea Ltd's survival hangs in the balance, as it pleads before the Supreme Court for a waiver on massive government dues, with banks refusing loans. On Monday, the struggling telecom operator said in a court petition that it will not be able to operate beyond the current fiscal year without bank funding, which remains elusive as lenders remain wary of its dues linked to adjusted gross revenue (AGR).

"It is humbly submitted that without bank funding, the Petitioner company (Vodafone Idea) will not be able to operate beyond FY 2025-26, as it does not have the ability to pay AGR instalment of Rs.18,000 crore as per DoT (department of telecommunications) demands due in March 2026," Vodafone Idea said in its petit...