Business Daily Meets: Rahul Vatts

Podcast: Business Daily (BBC World Service)
Episode Date: September 25, 2025
Host: Divina Gupta
Guest: Rahul Vatts (Chief Regulatory Officer, Bharti Airtel)

Episode Overview

In this special edition of Business Daily, host Divina Gupta sits down with Rahul Vatts, Chief Regulatory Officer at Airtel, one of India's largest telecom companies. The episode marks 30 years since the very first mobile phone call in India and explores the phenomenal transformation of the nation’s telecom sector—from the days of long queues at phone booths to the present era of widespread mobile and digital connectivity. The discussion covers key policy changes, the hurdles faced in expanding digital access to rural areas, and the next frontier of satellite internet. Rahul offers personal anecdotes, industry insights, and reflections on what it takes to guide policy in an ever-changing sector.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Evolution of India's Mobile Revolution (01:10–03:25)

• Personal Anecdote:
  Rahul recalls the drastic change in communication technology since his college days in the early 1990s, highlighting how difficult and expensive it was to make a phone call home from Pune to Delhi.

  “If I had to make a phone call to my house back in Delhi, I had to stand in queue... I used to wait till 10pm in the night to just call back at my home.” — Rahul Vatts (03:41)

• Comparison of Then vs. Now:
  Rahul contrasts the inconvenience and costliness of old systems (like standing in line to pay bills or make calls) with today’s instant digital convenience.

  “Sometimes I feel that we are lucky to see these two phases which are completely different from each other.” — Rahul Vatts (04:20)

2. Career Beginnings and Shifts (04:47–06:35)

• First Jobs:
  Rahul began in the pharmaceutical industry in a sales engineering role. His mother questioned whether this truly counted as "engineering" work, which spurred him toward a more technical role.

• Entering Telecom:
  The pivotal moment for Indian telecom was the first mobile call in 1995. Rahul shifted into the telecom industry in 1996, beginning with technical testing of networks and handsets.

  “There used to be a big handset of Siemens called S4... you had to log in at least 100 calls a day to check the network.” — Rahul Vatts (06:35)

3. High Costs and the Culture of Missed Calls (06:46–08:03)

• Early Mobile Call Costs:
  Calls could cost up to 16.80 rupees per minute (~$0.50), far more than landline calls.

  “Compare that to now where voice is completely free. So it was a very expensive thing.” — Rahul Vatts (06:51)

• Adaptation by Users:
  Due to high costs for both outgoing and incoming calls, people would use the "missed call" as a form of signaling.

  “People will not pick up phones because you were paying calls for incoming as well as for outgoing.” — Rahul Vatts (07:39)

4. Policy Breakthrough: Free Incoming Calls (08:03–09:17)

• Rahul describes the industry's lobbying efforts and how, in 2003, all operators agreed to scrap incoming call charges—a turning point that unlocked massive growth.

  “Government realized that uptake of services is linked to that particular commercial part. I think then it became like a journey.” — Rahul Vatts (08:17)

5. Expanding Coverage and Licensing Hurdles (09:17–09:40)

• Getting telecom licenses for under-served areas could take years—six months to two years for the license, and another two years for spectrum allocation.

  “Getting licenses in my younger days for areas which there were no coverage for was a big thing... it could take anywhere from six months to two years.” — Rahul Vatts (09:17/09:36)

6. Market Disruption and Satellite Internet (10:48–16:48)

• Jio’s Price War:
  In 2016, Mukesh Ambani’s entry into telecom with Jio compelled all operators, including Airtel, to radically reduce data prices, making India a global leader in affordable internet but also exposing coverage gaps.

• The Rural Challenge:
  vast populations in rural India remain unconnected due to the difficulty of reaching remote communities through traditional infrastructure.

• Satellite Internet Pilot:
  The host visits a rural school in Haryana where Airtel’s satellite project is piloted, delivering high-speed WiFi for the first time and enabling students to access online educational content.

  “The government can subsidize and government does have its own universal subsidy programs where government wants the coverage to happen. Because digital transformation... can really impact the growth of the entire unit.” — Rahul Vatts (15:53)

  • Rahul details Airtel’s partnerships with Eutelsat OneWeb and Starlink, focusing satellite internet first on government and enterprise use cases, with potential broader expansion.

  “Satellite is a very important part of coverage. It complements the current terrestrial coverage and really ensures that the gap which was existing from 96 to 100% is covered.” — Rahul Vatts (14:43)

7. Pricing, Affordability, and Subsidies (15:09–16:38)

• Affordability as a Challenge:
  Rahul emphasizes that the primary goal is coverage, not profit, especially for the unconnected—government subsidies are key, mirroring practices in other countries.

  “How much cost will you attribute to getting coverage into a village which has got no coverage today?... It's more important to give connectivity to people who have no coverage.” — Rahul Vatts (15:21)

8. Internet Freedom, Regulation, and Global Standards (17:06–19:03)

• Internet Shutdowns and Legal Compliance:
  The conversation touches on government-imposed internet shutdowns, content regulation, and Airtel’s legal obligations under Indian law.

  “Any licensee who takes a license in India is bound by the license conditions, bound by the law of the country.” — Rahul Vatts (18:42)

9. Personal Reflections and Leadership Advice (19:10–20:31)

• Maintaining Balance:
  Rahul shares that music, exercise, and living in the present help him de-stress.

  “Each day is a fresh opportunity, fresh challenge and fresh troubles... if you keep it day by day, it really holds good.” — Rahul Vatts (19:32)

• Qualities for Regulatory Leaders:
  Curiosity, multidisciplinary learning, people skills, and a focus on contributing to a larger purpose are crucial.

  “What really helps all the time is a very clear focus that whatever you do should have a larger meaning of what you really want to do... see the larger purpose and reflect on it.” — Rahul Vatts (19:53/20:31)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-----------|-------|---------| | 03:41 | “If I had to make a phone call to my house back in Delhi, I had to stand in queue... I used to wait till 10pm in the night to just call back at my home” | Rahul Vatts | | 06:51 | “Compare that to now where voice is completely free. So it was a very expensive thing.” | Rahul Vatts | | 07:39 | “People will not pick up phones because you were paying calls for incoming as well as for outgoing.” | Rahul Vatts | | 08:17 | “Government realized that uptake of services is linked to that particular commercial part. I think then it became like a journey.” | Rahul Vatts | | 14:43 | “Satellite is a very important part of coverage. It complements the current terrestrial coverage and really ensures that the gap which was existing from 96 to 100% is covered.” | Rahul Vatts | | 15:53 | “The government can subsidize and government does have its own universal subsidy programs where government wants the coverage to happen.” | Rahul Vatts | | 18:42 | “Any licensee who takes a license in India is bound by the license conditions, bound by the law of the country.” | Rahul Vatts | | 19:32 | “Each day is a fresh opportunity, fresh challenge and fresh troubles... if you keep it day by day, it really holds good.” | Rahul Vatts | | 20:31 | “See the larger purpose and reflect on it and then how can you contribute to that?” | Rahul Vatts |

Timeline of Important Segments

• 01:10–03:25 — Rahul’s personal journey and India’s telecom transformation
• 03:41–04:47 — College days, call costs, and digital life now
• 06:35–08:03 — Entering telecom, handset testing, and high costs
• 08:03–09:17 — Policy changes: free incoming calls and mobile adoption
• 10:48–12:45 — India’s competitive market and digital divide
• 12:45–14:43 — Satellite internet pilot in rural North India
• 14:43–16:38 — Satellite internet, partnerships, and subsidized access
• 17:06–19:03 — Internet freedom, regulation, and Airtel’s legal obligations
• 19:10–20:31 — Rahul’s de-stress routine and advice for aspiring leaders

Conclusion

This episode provides a rare, behind-the-scenes look into the dramatic transformation of telecom in India over the past three decades, as told through the experiences of a key industry leader. Rahul Vatts’ reflections—balancing nostalgia, technological progress, regulatory insight, and rural inclusivity—reveal both the achievements and ongoing challenges facing India’s digital revolution. For listeners interested in technology, policy, or India’s development, the conversation is packed with history, practical challenges, and thoughtful forward-looking perspectives.