Bharti to challenge Rs 10.67 bn tax demand in court

New Delhi: Top Indian mobile phone carrier Bharti Airtel said on Wednesday it will challenge in court a 10.67 billion rupee tax demand from the country's income tax department over payments to international telecoms operators.

"Bharti Airtel is fully compliant on all applicable income tax provisions," the company said in a statement.

"This demand notice, pertaining to applicability of withholding tax on payments made to international operators, is not justified and we will take appropriate legal recourse," it said, without elaborating.

Bharti operates telecoms services in 19 countries across Asia and Africa and is the world's fifth-biggest mobile carrier by subscribers.