Sunil Bharti Mittal Awarded France’s Highest Civilian Honor

On October 28, 2026, Indian industrialist Sunil Bharti Mittal was conferred France's highest civilian honor, the 'Legion of Honor', for his contributions to strengthening India-France economic ties.

Key Facts

Award Rank: Mittal, Founder and Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, was honored in the rank of Chevalier (Knight) of the 'National Order of the Legion of Honor'.
Ceremony: The insignia was presented to him by the Ambassador of France to India, Thierry Mathou, at a ceremony held at the French Ambassador's official residence in New Delhi.
Basis of Honor: The award recognizes his efforts in telecommunications, digital infrastructure, satellite communications, and driving long-term economic partnerships between India and France.
Business Collaborations: Mittal bolstered trade relations through partnerships with French insurance giant AXA and telecom equipment vendor Alcatel-Lucent.
Satcom Partnership: The Bharti Group invested in French satellite communications company Eutelsat, where Mittal serves as Vice Co-Chairman.
Stake in Eutelsat: Bharti Space Limited holds a 17.88% stake in Eutelsat, making it the company’s largest private shareholder.
Historical Partnership: In 1992, French firm Compagnie Générale des Eaux partnered with Bharti Group to pioneer mobile telecom services in India.
Announcement: French President Emmanuel Macron nominated Mittal for the honor, which was officially announced on October 12, 2026.