Bharti Airtel delivered a strong subscriber performance in June 2026, adding nearly 29.89 lakh mobile users, comfortably ahead of Reliance Jio's 21.46 lakh additions, according to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) data.
The numbers put Airtel ahead of Jio in monthly mobile subscriber additions. However, the telecom giant could face a different situation in the coming months after making significant changes to its prepaid portfolio, including the withdrawal of several lower-priced plans.
Airtel Beats Jio in June
TRAI's June data shows that Airtel added 29.89 lakh mobile subscribers, while Jio added 21.46 lakh. Airtel therefore gained around 8.43 lakh more mobile users than Jio during the month.
Airtel also added fixed-line customers during June, taking its overall subscriber addition to approximately 31.63 lakh. Jio's total subscriber addition stood at around 22.91 lakh, including its fixed-line business.
The overall Indian telecom subscriber base increased to approximately 134.8 crore in June, with Airtel and Jio accounting for a large share of the month's additions.
Airtel Removes Several Prepaid Plans
The strong June performance comes just before a major change in Airtel's prepaid strategy.
Airtel recently discontinued several prepaid plans, including the popular ₹299 recharge. Following the change, the ₹349 plan became the cheapest Airtel option offering unlimited calling with 1.5GB daily data for 28 days, according to reports.
Airtel's move appears focused on simplifying its prepaid portfolio while potentially improving average revenue per user (ARPU).
For customers, however, the removal of lower-cost options could mean higher monthly spending, particularly for price-sensitive users.
Could Airtel Lose Subscribers?
The possibility of subscriber losses cannot be ruled out, but it would be premature to say that Airtel will definitely lose customers.
Some users may continue with Airtel despite higher prices because of network quality, coverage, 5G availability and service reliability. Others, especially price-sensitive customers, could compare Airtel's revised plans with competing offers from Jio and Vodafone Idea.
Jio appears to be responding strategically. Reports say Reliance Jio is preparing to relaunch its Prime membership, including a proposed one-year tariff-price guarantee, shortly after Airtel's prepaid changes.
Jio Could Benefit From Airtel's Pricing Changes
The biggest question for Airtel is whether customers consider its revised plans sufficiently competitive.
If Jio maintains more attractive pricing or offers additional benefits, some Airtel users could migrate to Jio. The impact may become visible in the upcoming TRAI monthly subscriber reports.
However, subscriber numbers alone do not tell the complete story. Airtel could potentially accept slower subscriber growth if higher tariffs result in stronger revenue and profitability per customer.
What to Expect in Coming Months
The next few months will be important for India's telecom market. Airtel's June numbers demonstrate that the company currently has strong subscriber momentum, but the impact of its latest prepaid restructuring has yet to appear in official subscriber data.
If customers accept the new pricing, Airtel could maintain healthy additions while improving its revenue mix. If a significant number of budget-conscious customers switch networks, Airtel's monthly subscriber additions could slow.
For now, the June numbers clearly favour Airtel: 29.89 lakh mobile additions versus Jio's 21.46 lakh. But the real test will come after customers have had time to respond to Airtel's latest prepaid changes.
