Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Airtel and often referred to as India's telecom czar, backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to help the country withstand global economic uncertainties. Speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry Annual Business Summit 2026, Mittal emphasized that "we need to play our part" in addressing current global challenges. According to reports from ANI, he stated that "India Inc must double down on investments and spending within the country despite rising geopolitical and economic uncertainty triggered by the Middle East crisis." Mittal acknowledged that India cannot remain insulated from the economic impact of the ongoing Middle East crisis, stating that "these are difficult times" but emphasizing that "we, as a country, have been moving at a fantastic speed, growing at 6-7% year over year."
Mittal highlighted his company's significant investment commitment, revealing that Airtel spent approximately ₹31,000 crore in capex during 2024-25. As reported by Rediff Moneynews, he added that including a subsidiary in the towers, the total investment reached ₹38,000 crore. He stated that the company's investment increased further in 2026, with financial performance to be announced in the coming days. Mittal emphasized that "this is not the moment to shy away" but rather "this is the moment to invest, double down in our own country, because the underlying growth is there." He pointed out that despite the challenges, companies like Bharti Airtel are still investing heavily, with investments expected to continue rising in FY26.
Addressing the ongoing Middle East conflict and soaring global crude oil prices, Mittal outlined three key priorities for industry to navigate the current environment. According to ANI reports, he advocated for moving away from "this obsession with the import of gold," lowering energy costs, and accelerating the shift to renewable energy. He stated that "we need to lower our energy costs" and "move faster towards renewable energy in our industry." Mittal stressed the need for businesses to focus on domestic spending and investment, stating "We need to vote with our feet within our country. Spend more here, put more capex here." He highlighted India's large and young consumer base as offering strong long-term demand, noting "This is a continent of consumers wanting more products and more services. Let's give them more from India — Make in India, from India, serving India."
Prime Minister Modi on Sunday urged citizens to adopt measures to conserve energy amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. As reported by Mint, his seven key appeals included prioritizing working from home, avoiding gold purchases for one year, reducing petrol and diesel consumption, cutting cooking oil use, avoiding foreign travel, reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers, and using fewer foreign products. The appeals are aimed at conserving foreign exchange reserves as India is a large importer of gold, with high import costs during elevated crude oil prices putting pressure on the country's trade deficit and rupee. Mittal said that the prime minister's message was very profound, noting that "we can't escape the difficulties that the world is facing currently in economic terms."
Mittal was conferred with the CII President's Award for Lifetime Achievement at the summit in recognition of his leadership, contribution to India's economic growth and commitment to nation-building. According to ANI, he acknowledged that "the current problem in the Middle East that we are all facing is creating a tremendous amount of pressure on the global economies, and India is no different in that aspect." The recognition was made possible by the administration's support during challenging periods of his journey, including his time in telecom. Mittal also urged younger entrepreneurs and business leaders to take up leadership roles in industry chambers such as CII, noting that the government increasingly looks to these bodies for policy guidance and economic direction. He reflected on his family's association with chambers, noting that all three Bharti brothers have served in leadership roles, with brother Rakesh as a former CII president and Rajan as a former FICCI president. He expressed deep honor in receiving the award, stating "This recognition is especially meaningful for me given my long association with CII, including the privilege of serving as its President in 2007," a period when India was at a powerful economic inflection point.
