Succession Plan at Bharti Telecom: The Next Mittal Generation's Rise

Sunil Bharti Mittal, the telecom magnate, outlined a succession plan for his family in Bharti Telecom, the promoter company of Bharti Airtel, during a call with investors. His children, who are independently managing their businesses, are expected to assume larger roles in Airtel's operations and shareholder activities.

Mittal expressed the hope of increasing Bharti Telecom's stake in Airtel to over 50% in the future, while acknowledging the current 41% as substantial. He also pledged to increase dividends and focused on the strategic importance of Airtel Africa, which has contributed significantly to Airtel's success, especially during challenging periods.

The veteran businessman discussed the potential rise in Airtel’s Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) to Rs 350, accounting for inflation, and hinted at changing data pricing strategies for 5G services to maintain competitiveness and profitability. Bharti Airtel reported a 5.7% increase in ARPU in the last quarter of 2025.