India Ratings to monitor MTNL as interest payment default triggers government guarantee

Mumbai: Indian credit rating agency India Ratings will monitor developments at Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) as a government guarantee for a bond issue was invoked after the state-run telecom services provider failed to transfer funds for interest payment.

The bonds are rated AAA (CE) by India Ratings as the interest and principal payment are guaranteed by the federal government.

According to an agreement, MTNL has to put the semi-annual interest in the third-party escrow account 10 days ahead of the due date, but it failed to do so due to "insufficient funds".

"Due to insufficient funds, MTNL could not fund the ESCROW Account with the adequate amount," the company said in a notice to the stock exchanges last week.

Escrow refers to a neutral third-party holding assets or funds before they are transferred from one party to another in a transaction.

Rating agency Brickwork Ratings earlier said it continued to factor in the complete erosion of MTNL's net worth, continuous weak financial and operational performance, its categorisation as an "incipient sick Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE)" by the Department of Public Enterprises and the Department of Telecommunications, and the fact that it is considered to be a going concern only on account of government support.

In July 2023, MTNL raised 24.80 billion rupees ($296.97 million) through 10-year government-guaranteed bonds at a semi-annual coupon of 7.59 per cent and the interest payment is due on July 20.

In case of a default, the government has to transfer the funds three days before the actual payout date, according to the agreement.

India Ratings said it will monitor the developments and take appropriate rating actions. The "breach of condition of the debenture trustee deed is considered as event of default", the ratings agency added.

MTNL had defaulted on the interest and principal payment of another loan worth 3.29 billion rupees earlier this year.

India Ratings and Brickwork Ratings then downgraded the independent or unsupported rating of the company to D.

($1 = 83.5090 Indian rupees)