Sunil Mittal says Bharti Telecom will raise Airtel stake above 50% for long-term stability
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Sunil Mittal says Bharti Telecom will raise Airtel stake above 50% for long-term stability - Published OnNov 13, 2026 | 20:20 IST - Last Updated OnNov 13, 2026 | 20:20 IST Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said the promoter group would begin increasing its stake soon, with a target of crossing 50% to provide greater stability after his tenure. Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said the promoter group plans to raise its stake in the telecom company above 50%, with the first steps expected in the near term. He said a larger promoter holding would help provide stability once he is no longer at the helm. "I would say yes, and you will see some action coming in the near term," Mittal told CNBC-TV18 when asked whether there was greater urgency to consolidate the promoter group's shareholding. Bharti Telecom, the promoter vehicle, held about 40% of Airtel at the time of the interview. Mittal said it would remain the group's sole promoter vehicle and that the aim was to take its holding beyond 50%. The plan has gained urgency amid high-profile corporate disputes in India, including one involving a company where the majority shareholder holds as much as 66%. Mittal said such battles had added to the pressure to consolidate the holding. "The battles that the country is witnessing today has, you know, pushed us to speed up this process," he said. Raising the stake by 10 percentage points would cost an estimated $12 billion to $14 billion, Mittal said. The funds would come partly from dividends and share buybacks, with the promoters contributing the rest. The process would begin with small increases in the holding this year, followed by further purchases annually over the next five to six years. "I would say some creep within this year," Mittal said. He added that about 3-3.25% of Airtel's shares were held outside Bharti Telecom and that the promoter group wanted to bring this stake into the holding company. Singapore Telecommunications, or Singtel, holds about 7% of Airtel outside Bharti Telecom. Mittal said it remained to be seen how much of Singtel's holding could be transferred to the promoter vehicle, but added that both sides were aligned on taking the promoter stake above 50%. Also Read: Sunil Bharti Mittal awarded France’s highest civilian honour: Here’s why Why Mittal wants a larger promoter holding Mittal said he was not concerned about the risks of excessive promoter control, pointing to global companies that continued to grow even after their founders stepped away or retained relatively small stakes. He cited Nvidia, where CEO Jensen Huang holds about 3.62%, and Unilever, where Mittal had previously served on the board. However, he said Airtel would need a stronger shareholder to provide continuity after his tenure, particularly with an independent board overseeing the company. "Once I am away, and you have an independent board, independent people on it, then it's important that there's a stronger steward shareholder which provides stability," he said. What Mittal said about succession On succession, Mittal said the next generation of the family would join the business as shareholders rather than take up executive positions. His son Shravin, who runs his own technology fund, handles international affairs, the company's Africa boards and its relationship with Singtel. His other son, Kavin, is involved in exploring new business opportunities in artificial intelligence. Mittal, however, said he had no plans to retire. "I will never hang up my boots," he said, adding that he had "11 years to get to 80". Also Read: Jensen Huang, Alice Huang and Megaspeed's balance sheet that grew 90-fold in a year
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