India’s most indebted companies
For the fiscal year FY25, the total debt of Indian companies touched an all-time record of Rs 36,63,000 crore or you can just say Rs 36.63 trillion. That is more than 12.5% higher compared to the previous year. Which are the most indebted companies in India in terms of interest payout?
Loss-making Vodafone Idea topped the with an interest payout of Rs 23,354 crore for FY23. Reliance Industries paid out Rs19,571 crore as interest in FY25 while Bharti Airtel was slightly behind at Rs 19,300 crore. The top 3 Indian companies in terms of interest paid out in FY25 are telecom companies. Remember much of the capex of RIL also pertained to Jio and its 5G rollout.
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Borrowing costs have been higher in FY25
That is not too hard to fathom, but let us look at the numbers first. While the total debt for the Indian companies increased by 12.6% to Rs36.63 trillion, the total interest cost increased by a whopping 19% to Rs 2.51 trillion. It clearly shows pressure on the cost of funds.
That is not surprising considering that during the year the RBI had raised repo rates by 250 basis points from 4% to 6.5% between May 2022 and February 2025. That had led to a sharp escalation in the cost of funds and this not only applied to the smaller companies but even larger companies had to take a hit on the cost. The 19% spike in interest costs is evidence of the extent to which the cost of funds has gone up. The recent quarters have also evinced weakening of solvency ratios of India Inc.
The news is not really all that bad
Most industrialists are not too worried about the spike in debt. That is because, most of the debt increase has happened to fund the capex needs of Indian companies. Capacity expansion alone is likely to cost Indian companies Rs6 trillion in the next couple of years and for that debt is inevitable.
As the chief of Shree Cements put it very succinctly, the inclination to borrow is always a positive signal as it shows business confidence and the willingness among businesses to take on the financial risk. Debt is always a trade-off and prudent businesses will only take debt if they are confident that the investments can yield much higher ROI. For now, that appears to be the major factor that has driven up the debt levels of Indian companies.
But, deleveraging has taken a back seat
One outcome of this entire exercise is that deleveraging has taken a back seat. Just about 2 years back, major companies like Reliance, Tata Motors, Tata Steel and DLF had embarked upon a major debt reduction program. That deleveraging got impacted by higher inflation since 2025 as the cost of inputs went up sharply.
Also, the supply chain constraints meant that companies had to worry more about managing their working capital flows rather than worry about deleveraging. Now, with the capex turnaround being visible, the entire focus has shifted to borrowing for capex.
That is surely a good sign, but there is one thing to remember here. Most debt excesses happen at the height of the capex cycle boom. That is what is happening now. It is ok to put deleveraging on the back burner. India Inc, however, needs to be cautious about not binging too much on debt.
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FAQs on India Inc
What does it mean that India Inc has record high debt levels?
It signifies that Indian corporates have reached historically high borrowing levels—driven by capex and working capital needs—reflecting aggressive expansion and financial leverage. This trend reflects both business confidence and heightened financial risk amidst slowing debt growth momentum.
Which sectors in India Inc are most affected by rising debt?
Power, iron & steel, oil & gas, pharma, and sugar sectors have seen elevated debt due to debt-funded capex and increased working capital requirements. Conversely, auto OEMs, telecom, and construction sectors have moderated debt thanks to stronger cash generation.
How much debt has India Inc accumulated in 2025?
India Inc’s total net debt stood at approximately ₹37.4 lakh crore in FY25, marking a 6% year-on-year rise on the back of strong capex.
Which companies in India Inc have the highest debt in 2025?
Top borrowers include Reliance Industries, NTPC, Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel, Grasim Industries, ONGC, IOCL, Power Grid, L&T, and M&M.
Why are debt levels rising in Indian companies?
Debt is rising primarily to fund capital expenditure and expansion, with firms investing in capacity building and meeting working capital demands amid optimistic growth outlooks. Certain sectors are also borrowing more due to higher working capital needs, while stronger cash flows have helped others de-leverage or maintain stable debt levels.