Sr.
no.
Key Audit Matters
Auditor’s Response
i
Revenue recognition - accuracy of revenuerecorded
We identified revenue recognition as a keyaudit matter because there is a risk around theaccuracy of revenue due to the complexity inbilling systems and processing of large volumeof data. Additionally, the Company has multiplereconciliation matters with their customersand the Company uses judgements to assessthe adequacy of any uncertainty involved withrespect to potential reversal of revenue infuture.
(Refer to note 4.1(i) and 26 to the standalonefinancial statements)
Principal audit procedures performed:
Our audit approach consisted evaluation of designand implementation of controls, and testing theoperating effectiveness of the internal controls over:
• Capturing and recording of revenue transactions;
• Authorisation of rate changes and input of therate changes into the billing systems;
• Preparation and validation of the billing schedule;
• Calculations of amounts billed to operators, inline with underlying supporting documents; and
• Assessment of adequacy of revenue reversals.
We tested a sample of invoices issued to operators toensure that the revenue recorded are agreeing to therelevant underlying supporting documentation. Wealso performed substantive analytical procedures totest the recorded rental revenue.
We involved our internal IT specialists to test IT generalcontrols and application specific controls surroundingbilling system, including testing of system generatedreports used in our audit.
We challenged management estimates aroundappropriateness of revenue recognition and reversalsof revenue in future on account of uncertainty byexamining empirical data and historical trend ofnegotiation patterns with the customers.
2
Contingent Liabilities and Provisions:Disputed tax matters
The Company is subjected to a number ofsignificant income tax litigations and indirecttax litigations ("litigations”) which are in appealbefore various judicial forums.
The eventual outcome of these litigationsis uncertain, and the positions taken by themanagement are based on the application ofsignificant judgement and estimation. Thereview of these matters requires applicationand interpretation of tax laws and reference toapplicable judicial pronouncements.
Given the uncertainty and application ofsignificant judgment in this area in terms of theeventual outcome of litigations, we determinedthis to be a key audit matter.
(Refer to note 4.1(r)(ii) and 40(b) to thestandalone financial statements)
Our audit procedures included evaluation of designand implementation of controls and testing ofoperating effectiveness of the company's controlsover identification of litigations and evaluation ofpossible outcomes around litigations.
We obtained the list of litigations from themanagement and reviewed their assessment of thelikelihood of outflow of economic resources beingprobable, possible or remote in respect of these taxlitigations.
We involved our internal direct and indirect taxspecialists, who obtained an understanding of thecurrent status of the litigations, conducted discussionswith the management, reviewed independentleg al ad vice obtained by management, if any, andconsidered relevant legal provisions and availableprecedents to challenge management's underlyingassumptions in estimating the possible outcome ofthese litigations.
We also assessed the adequacy and appropriatenessof the disclosures made by the management in thenotes to the standalone financial statements.
We have audited the accompanying standalonefinancial statements of Indus Towers Limited ("theCompany”), which comprise the Standalone BalanceSheet as at March 31, 2025, and the StandaloneStatement of Profit and Loss (including OtherComprehensive Income), the Standalone Statementof Changes in Equity and the Standalone Statementof Cash Flows for the year then ended, and notesto the financial statements, including a summary ofmaterial accounting policies and other explanatoryinformation (hereinafter referred to as "the standalonefinancial statements”).
In our opinion and to the best of our information andaccording to the explanations given to us, the aforesaidstandalone financial statements give the informationrequired by the Companies Act, 2013 ("the Act”) inthe manner so required and give a true and fair viewin conformity with the Indian Accounting Standardsprescribed under section 133 of the Act read withthe Companies (Indian Accounting Standards) Rules,2015, as amended, from time to time, ("Ind AS”)and other accounting principles generally acceptedin India, of the state of affairs of the Company as atMarch 31, 2025, and its profit, its total comprehensiveincome, its changes in equity and its cash flows for theyear then ended.
We conducted our audit of the standalone financialstatements in accordance with the Standards onAuditing ("SAs”) specified under section 143(10) ofthe Act. Our responsibilities under those Standardsare further described in the Auditor's Responsibilityfor the Audit of the Standalone Financial Statementssection of our report. We are independent of theCompany in accordance with the Code of Ethicsissued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants ofIndia ("ICAI”) together with the ethical requirementsthat are relevant to our audit of the standalonefinancial statements under the provisions of the Actand the Rules made thereunder, and we have fulfilledour other ethical responsibilities in accordance withthese requirements and the ICAI's Code of Ethics.We believe that the audit evidence obtained by us issufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for ouraudit opinion on the standalone financial statements.
Key audit matters are those matters that, in ourprofessional judgment, were of most significance inour audit of the standalone financial statements ofthe current year. These matters were addressed inthe context of our audit of the standalone financialstatements as a whole, and in forming our opinionthereon, and we do not provide a separate opinionon these matters. We have determined the mattersdescribed below to be the key audit matters to becommunicated in our report:
• The Company's Board of Directors is responsiblefor the other information. The other informationcomprises the information included in theBusiness Responsibility and Sustainability Report,Management Discussion and Analysis Report,Board's Report including Annexures to the Board'sReport and Report on Corporate Governance,but does not include the consolidated financialstatements, the standalone financial statementsand our auditor's reports thereon.
• Our opinion on the standalone financialstatements does not cover the other informationand we do not express any form of assuranceconclusion thereon.
• I n connection with our audit of the standalonefinancial statements, our responsibility is to readthe other information and, in doing so, considerwhether the other information is materiallyinconsistent with the standalone financialstatements or our knowledge obtained during thecourse of our audit or otherwise appears to bematerially misstated.
• If, based on the work we have performed, weconclude that there is a material misstatement ofthis other information, we are required to reportthat fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.
The Company's Board of Directors is responsible forthe matters stated in section 134(5) of the Act withrespect to the preparation of these standalone financialstatements that give a true and fair view of the financialposition, financial performance including othercomprehensive income/(loss), changes in equity andcash flows of the Company in accordance with the IndAS and other accounting principles generally acceptedin India. This responsibility also includes maintenanceof adequate accounting records in accordance withthe provisions of the Act for safeguarding the assets ofthe Company and for preventing and detecting fraudsand other irregularities; selection and application ofappropriate accounting policies; making judgmentsand estimates that are reasonable and prudent; anddesign, implementation and maintenance of adequateinternal financial controls, that were operatingeffectively for ensuring the accuracy and completenessof the accounting records, relevant to the preparationand presentation of the financial statements thatgive a true and fair view and are free from materialmisstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the standalone financial statements,management and the Board of Directors are responsiblefor assessing the Company's ability to continue asa going concern, disclosing, as applicable, mattersrelated to going concern and using the going concernbasis of accounting unless the Board of Directorseither intend to liquidate the Company or to ceaseoperations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
The Company's Board of Directors are alsoresponsible for overseeing the Company's financialreporting process.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assuranceabout whether the standalone financial statements asa whole are free from material misstatement, whetherdue to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's reportthat includes our opinion. Reasonable assuranceis a high level of assurance, but is not a guaranteethat an audit conducted in accordance with SAs willalways detect a material misstatement when it exists.Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and areconsidered material if, individually or in the aggregate,they could reasonably be expected to influence theeconomic decisions of users taken on the basis ofthese standalone financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with SAs, we exerciseprofessional judgment and maintain professionalskepticism throughout the audit. We also:
• Identify and assess the risks of materialmisstatement of the standalone financialstatements, whether due to fraud or error, designand perform audit procedures responsive to thoserisks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficientand appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.The risk of not detecting a material misstatementresulting from fraud is higher than for one resultingfrom error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery,intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or theoverride of internal control.
• Obtain an understanding of internal financialcontrols relevant to the audit in order to designaudit procedures that are appropriate in thecircumstances. Under section 143(3)(i) of the Act,we are also responsible for expressing our opinionon whether the Company has adequate internalfinancial controls with reference to standalonefinancial statements in place and the operatingeffectiveness of such financial controls.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accountingpolicies used and the reasonableness ofaccounting estimates and related disclosuresmade by the management.
• Conclude on the appropriateness ofmanagement's use of the going concern basisof accounting and, based on the audit evidenceobtained, whether a material uncertainty existsrelated to events or conditions that may castsignificant doubt on the Company's ability tocontinue as a going concern. If we conclude thata material uncertainty exists, we are requiredto draw attention in our auditor's report to therelated disclosures in the standalone financialstatements or, if such disclosures are inadequate,to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are basedon the audit evidence obtained up to the date ofour auditor's report. However, future events orconditions may cause the Company to cease tocontinue as a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure andcontent of the standalone financial statements,including the disclosures, and whether thestandalone financial statements represent theunderlying transactions and events in a mannerthat achieves fair presentation.
Materiality is the magnitude of misstatements in thestandalone financial statements that, individually orin aggregate, makes it probable that the economicdecisions of a reasonably knowledgeable user of thestandalone financial statements may be influenced.We consider quantitative materiality and qualitative
factors in (i) planning the scope of our audit workand in evaluating the results of our work; and (ii) toevaluate the effect of any identified misstatements inthe standalone financial statements.
We communicate with those charged with governanceregarding, among other matters, the planned scopeand timing of the audit and significant audit findings,including any significant deficiencies in internalfinancial controls that we identify during our audit.
We also provide those charged with governance witha statement that we have complied with relevantethical requirements regarding independence, andto communicate with them all relationships andother matters that may reasonably be thought tobear on our independence, and where applicable,related safeguards.
From the matters communicated with those chargedwith governance, we determine those matters thatwere of most significance in the audit of the standalonefinancial statements of the current period and aretherefore the key audit matters. We describe thesematters in our auditor's report unless law or regulationprecludes public disclosure about the matter or when,in extremely rare circumstances, we determine thata matter should not be communicated in our reportbecause the adverse consequences of doing sowould reasonably be expected to outweigh the publicinterest benefits of such communication.
1. As required by Section 143(3) of the Act, based
on our audit, we report that:
a) We have sought and obtained all theinformation and explanations which to thebest of our knowledge and belief werenecessary for the purposes of our audit of theaforesaid standalone financial statements.
b) In our opinion, proper books of accountas required by law have been kept by theCompany so far as it appears from ourexamination of those books, except forcomplying with the requirement of audit trailfor specific period during the year, as statedin (i)(vi) below.
c) The Standalone Balance Sheet, theStandalone Statement of Profit and Lossincluding Other Comprehensive Income/loss, the Standalone Statement of Changesin Equity and the Standalone Statement ofCash Flows dealt with by this Report arein agreement with the books of accountmaintained for the purpose of preparation ofthe standalone financial statements.
d) In our opinion, the aforesaid standalonefinancial statements comply with the Ind ASspecified under Section 133 of the Act.
e) On the basis of the written representationsreceived from the directors as onMarch 31, 2025 taken on record by theBoard of Directors, none of the directors isdisqualified as on March 31, 2025 from beingappointed as a director in terms of Section164(2) of the Act.
f) The modification relating to the maintenanceof accounts related to audit trail for a specificperiod, is as stated in paragraph (b) above.
g) With respect to the adequacy of theinternal financial controls with reference tothe standalone financial statements of theCompany and the operating effectiveness ofsuch controls, refer to our separate Reportin “Annexure A”. Our report expresses anunmodified opinion on the adequacy andoperating effectiveness of the Company'sinternal financial controls with reference tothe standalone financial statements.
h) With respect to the other matters to beincluded in the Auditor's Report in accordancewith the requirements of section 197(16) ofthe Act, as amended,
In our opinion and to the best of ourinformation and according to the explanationsgiven to us, the remuneration paid by theCompany to its directors during the year isin accordance with the provisions of section197 of the Act.
i) With respect to the other matters to beincluded in the Auditor's Report in accordancewith Rule 11 of the Companies (Audit andAuditors) Rules, 2014, as amended in ouropinion and to the best of our information andaccording to the explanations given to us:
i. The Company has disclosed the impactof pending litigations on its financialposition in its standalone financialstatements. Refer note 40 (b) of thestandalone financial statements.
ii. The Company did not have any long-termcontracts including derivative contractsfor which there were any materialforeseeable losses. Refer note 58 of thestandalone financial statements.
iii. There has been no delay in transferringamounts, required to be transferred, tothe Investor Education and ProtectionFund by the Company. Refer note 49 ofthe standalone financial statements.
iv. (a) The Management has represented
that, to the best of its knowledge andbelief, no funds have been advancedor loaned or invested (either fromborrowed funds or share premium orany other sources or kind of funds)by the Company to or in any otherperson(s) or entity(ies), includingforeign entities ("Intermediaries”),with the understanding, whetherrecorded in writing or otherwise,that the Intermediary shall, directlyor indirectly lend or invest in otherpersons or entities identified inany manner whatsoever by or onbehalf of the Company ("UltimateBeneficiaries”) or provide anyguarantee, security or the like onbehalf of the Ultimate Beneficiaries.Refer note 57 of the standalonefinancial statements.
(b) The Management has representedthat, to the best of its knowledgeand belief, no funds have beenreceived by the Company from anyperson(s) or entity(ies), includingforeign entities ("Funding Parties”),with the understanding, whetherrecorded in writing or otherwise,that the Company shall, directly orindirectly, lend or invest in otherpersons or entities identified in anymanner whatsoever by or on behalfof the Funding Party ("UltimateBeneficiaries”) or provide anyguarantee, security or the like onbehalf of the Ultimate Beneficiaries.Refer note 57 of the standalonefinancial statements.
(c) Based on the audit proceduresperformed that have beenconsidered reasonable andappropriate in the circumstances,nothing has come to our notice thathas caused us to believe that therepresentations under sub-clause(i) and (ii) of Rule 11(e), as providedunder (a) and (b) above, containany material misstatement.
v. The Company has not declared or paidany dividend during the year and has notproposed final dividend for the year.
vi. Based on our examination, whichincluded test checks, the Companyhas used multiple accounting softwareand related software for maintaining itsbooks of account for the year endedMarch 31, 2025 which have a feature of
recording audit trail (edit log) facilityand the same has operated for a partof the year for all relevant transactionsrecorded in the software.
Further, during the course of our audit, wedid not come across any instance of the audittrail feature being tampered with, in respectof aforesaid accounting software for theperiod for which the audit trail feature wasenabled and operating. (refer note 56 to thestandalone financial statements).
In respect of an accounting software,operated by a third-party software serviceprovider, based on an independent auditor'sSystem and Organization controls reportwhich covers the requirements of audittrail for the period from April 1, 2024 toDecember 31, 2024 the audit trail (edit log)facility has operated from April 1, 2024 tillDecember 31, 2024. No instance of audittrail feature being tampered with has beenreported in such independent auditor's reportfor the aforesaid period. In the absence ofsuch auditor's report covering the audit trailrequirement for the remaining period, we areunable to comment on whether the audittrail feature of the said software was enabledand operated from 1 January 2025 till 31March 2025, for all relevant transactionsrecorded in this software and whether therewas any instance of the audit trail featurebeen tampered with.
As audit trail feature was not enabled forthe year ended March 31, 2024, reportingunder Rule 11 (g) of the Companies (Auditand Auditors) Rules, 2014 on preservation ofaudit trail as per the statutory requirementsfor record retention does not arise (Refer note56 to the standalone financial statements).
2. As required by the Companies (Auditor's Report)Order, 2020 ("the Order”) issued by the CentralGovernment in terms of Section 143(11) ofthe Act, we give in "Annexure B” a statementon the matters specified in paragraphs 3 and4 of the Order.
For Deloitte Haskins & Sells LLP
Chartered Accountants(Firm's Registration No. 117366W/W-100018)
Anup Kumar Sharma
Partner
(Membership No. 063828)(UDIN: 25063828BMJDHD3980)
Place: Gurugram
Date: April 30, 2025