(Corrects profit figure in paragraph 2 to 519.7 billion rupees, from 519.76 billion rupees)

May 16 (Reuters) - Indian telecom operator Vodafone Idea announced a surprise fourth-quarter profit after tax on Saturday.

The company posted consolidated profit after tax of 519.7 billion rupees ($5.42 billion) in the three months to March 31. Analysts had expected a loss.

($1 = 95.9600 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Angela Christy in Bengaluru; Editing by Joe Bavier)