The British government is reportedly prepared to block Indian billionaire Sunil Bharti Mittal from increasing his stake in BT Group. According to a report by the Financial Times, which cited sources familiar with the matter, the UK government intends to oppose any such move by Bharti Enterprises to protect and maintain sovereign control over the nation’s “critical national infrastructure.”
This development follows reports last week that Bharti Enterprises was exploring options to raise its stake in the British telecom giant. The proposed increase would have brought its holdings to just below the mandatory threshold required to trigger a full takeover offer.
Currently, Bharti Enterprises holds a substantial 24.5% stake in BT Group, a position that recently solidified its influence within the company. Just last September, Sunil Bharti Mittal, the founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, alongside Gopal Vittal, the vice-chairman and managing director of Bharti Airtel, joined the BT board as non-independent, non-executive directors.
In response to the speculation, a spokesperson for Bharti stated that the company remains pleased with its current 24.5% shareholding and explicitly noted that it “currently has no plans to increase its stake.”
Meanwhile, official confirmations remain pending. BT Group, Bharti, and the UK government have not immediately responded to requests for comment, and independent verification of the Financial Times report is still underway. Nonetheless, the situation highlights growing regulatory scrutiny over foreign investments in vital western telecom networks.
