Sunil Mittal shares succession plan, sets ARPU target of `350 for Airtel

New Delhi: Sunil Bharti Mittal has outlined a succession roadmap that will see the next generation of his family take on a larger ownership role in Bharti Telecom, the promoter of Bharti Airtel.

Speaking during an investor call on February 26, Mittal said his children are independently running businesses and gaining experience outside Airtel.

“In a few years’ time, you will start to see them at the shareholders’ table more visible,” he said, adding that he still has “some years” left to contribute to Airtel and Bharti Enterprises.

Mittal’s three children — Shravin Mittal, Kavin Mittal and Eiesha Pasricha — are building their own ventures. Shravin previously worked in operations at Airtel Africa after its acquisition in 2010 and has been on the board of Airtel Africa since 2018.

Bharti Telecom currently holds around 41 per cent in Airtel. Mittal said he would like to see the promoter entity raise its stake to over 50 per cent over time, potentially through large dividends or share buybacks.

However, he noted that a 40 per cent-plus holding in a Nifty-10 company remains a comfortable level for a promoter.

He expressed confidence in Airtel Africa’s prospects, saying it is poised to become a $10 billion revenue company generating over $5 billion in the coming years. The Africa business had supported the group during the challenging 2016–19 period for India’s telecom sector.

On tariffs, Mittal reiterated that average revenue per user (ARPU) should rise to reflect inflation and service quality. While Airtel’s ARPU stood at Rs 259 in the December 2025 quarter, up from Rs 245 a year earlier, he suggested that an ARPU of around Rs 350 would be more appropriate in today’s context. Analysts expect a possible 15 per cent tariff hike by mid-year.