By Abhay Ray 
Introduction
A company linked to Indian billionaire Sunil Mittal sold Bharti Airtel shares worth 84.9 billion rupees ($976 million) as the telecommunications tycoon seeks opportunities outside India. Mittal sold 51 million shares, about 0.8% stake in India’s second-biggest mobile carrier, through Indian Continental Investment, a founder entity of Bharti Airtel, according to a regulatory filing by Bharti to the National Stock Exchange on Tuesday.
Deal at ₹1660.46 per share
The names of other investors have not been disclosed in this trading which took place at around ₹1660.46 per share. Let us tell you that currently the share price of Airtel is ₹1668.40. In this respect, the deal has been done at a discount. Bharti Telecom now has 40.47% stake in Airtel. Bharti Telecom had acquired about 1.2 per cent in Airtel from Indian Continental Investment in November, the filing said, boosting shareholding in the wireless carrier that competes with billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd.
Airtel’s Focus on Expansion
This sale comes at a time when Master is expanding its business operations along with investments in Africa and UK-based company OneWeb. Recently Bharti Airtel has laid the new Southeast Asia-Middle East-West Europe-6 (SMW 6) 21700 km long undersea cable in Chennai which connects India to Singapore and France (Marseille) via Egypt. Earlier, the company completed the launch of this cable in Mumbai on December 30, 2024. The SMW6 cable system adds 220 terabits per second (Tbps) of internet capacity to India, which will increase the country’s digital devices and speed more than ever.
Bharti Telecom and Global Investors Participate in Stake Purchase
- Bharti Telecom’s Role : Bharti Telecom Ltd., a key entity within the Bharti Enterprises group, was a major participant in the purchase of the 51 million Airtel shares, acquiring nearly a quarter of the total stake sold.
- Involvement of Global Investors : Not only Bharti Telecom, but several global investment firms also took part in the transaction, including GQG Partners LLC, Fidelity Investments, Lazard Inc., and large Indian institutional investors such as SBI Life Insurance and ICICI Prudential Life Insurance.
This diverse group of buyers, including both domestic and international investors,signaling strong interest in Airtel despite the stake’s high value.
Strategic Focus on Africa and the BT Group
The transaction comes as Mittal expands his business operations outside of India, with investments in Africa and OneWeb, a UK-based satellite company that will compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink. Last year, a unit of privately held Bharti Enterprises bought a 24.5% stake in British phone telecommunications giant BT Group.
Bharti Airtel—which has over 550 million customers in South Asia and Africa—competes with Reliance Jio Infocomm (controlled by India’s richest person Mukesh Ambani) and billionaire Kumar Birla’s Vodafone Idea. In 2022, Google announced a $1 billion investment in Bharti Airtel. With a net worth of $30.7 billion, Mittal and his family ranked No.7 in the list of India’s 100 Richest that was released by Forbes Asia in October last year. Mittal also owns Airtel Payments Bank, a joint venture with Kotak Mahindra Bank, controlled by fellow billionaire Uday Kotak.
Airtel Agreement with Nokia
Airtel has awarded contracts to Nokia and Qualcomm to expand 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) outdoor gateway receivers and Wi-Fi 6 access points based on Qualcomm modem-RF and Wi-Fi 6 chipsets. The initiative aims to provide better broadband services in areas where fibre connectivity is either limited or challenging to implement. With limited access to fibre connectivity in India and growing demand for digital services, the use of fixed wireless broadband access through 5G networks is emerging as an important focus. Airtel will use Nokia’s FastMile 5G outdoor receivers, which are specially designed for multi-dwelling units and are capable of serving two homes simultaneously. This will reduce connection costs. These receivers are equipped with high-gain antennas, which improve broadband access over long distances and manage radio resources efficiently. Additionally, the FastMile 5G Outdoor Receiver uses Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) technology, making it easy to install on walls, balconies or pillars. Airtel will use Nokia’s Wi-Fi 6 access points to ensure the best internet experience in homes. The solution comes with smart mesh capabilities and self-optimizing network features, giving customers a seamless broadband experience across their entire home. Additionally, Nokia’s 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and Wi-Fi 6 access point equipment will be manufactured in India and available in fully recyclable packaging.
Conclusion
Sunil Mittal’s decision to sell a significant stake in Bharti Airtel for $976 million marks a pivotal moment in his broader business strategy. By offloading a portion of his holdings, Mittal is not only diversifying his investments but also reinforcing his focus on global growth opportunities. The involvement of Bharti Telecom and prominent global investors in the transaction further underscores the strong market confidence in Airtel. Meanwhile, Mittal’s expanding presence in African telecommunications and his stake in BT Group highlight his commitment to scaling his influence beyond India. This move demonstrates Mittal’s forward-looking approach to business, balancing local leadership with global expansion for long-term success.
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