Sunil Bharti Mittal, founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, received the 2026 Leadership Award from the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) for his contributions to strengthening economic ties between India and North America. According to reports from Business Standard, the award was presented during the IX USISPF Annual Leadership Summit in Washington, DC. Speaking at the summit, Mittal expressed optimism about the India-US trade negotiations, stating that he hopes the two countries will conclude a trade deal within the next few weeks. Addressing United States Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Mittal directly underscored the importance of the proposed trade pact for industry, saying "I'm hoping Secretary Lutnick that if not in days, but in a few weeks, that India and the US will have a trade deal that we in the industry have been looking forward to."
USISPF recognised Mittal for transforming India's telecommunications landscape through Bharti Enterprises. As reported by Business Standard, Mittal accepted the honour via a video message, expressing his gratitude for the recognition and congratulating his fellow awardees: Christopher T Calio, chairman and chief executive officer of RTX, and V Prem Watsa, chairman and chief executive officer of Fairfax Financial Holdings. During his acceptance speech, Mittal also expressed hope that India and the US will finalise a trade deal in a few days, adding that the industry was looking forward to the agreement. In his video message, Mittal praised the forum's efforts, stating "I personally believe that the work that USISPF has been doing under Mukesh and John should be truly cherished and celebrated."
The India-US trade deal is in its 'final steps', according to US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who spoke at the summit on Tuesday. As reported by Business Standard, Gor stated that only the last one per cent of negotiations remained after nearly 18 months of negotiations. He expressed confidence that the agreement would be concluded soon, adding that both sides were determined to finalise the deal as it would benefit both countries. The trade negotiations have gained momentum with Mittal's direct engagement with US officials, highlighting the industry's anticipation for the long-awaited agreement.
Mittal highlighted the nearly five-million-strong Indian diaspora in the United States as a key pillar of bilateral cooperation between India and the US. Speaking at the summit, he described the diaspora as "a beautiful bridge between India and US, helping the strategic relationship develop between the two nations, be that trade, defence, or indeed higher technologies." This significant diaspora population, which Mittal noted is "the largest anywhere in the world," serves as a crucial link between the two nations and contributes to the growing strategic alignment between New Delhi and Washington. The forum honoured three global business leaders during its IX Leadership Summit for their contributions to strengthening the India-US commercial partnership.
V Prem Watsa, chairman and CEO of Fairfax Financial Holdings, highlighted India's remarkable economic transformation during the awards ceremony. According to SocialNews.XYZ, Watsa praised the policy direction under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that "2047 India will be a developed economy" and emphasizing that "India is a democracy" with unlimited opportunities. He particularly noted the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, noting that "venture capital doesn't care what your caste is, where you went to university, what your parents did, what your religion is. They give you money." Watsa also praised the democratic traditions of both India and the United States, stating that "when you put the two together, there's going to be tremendous opportunity for all of us."
