Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, was awarded the Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) in recognition of his contributions to UK-India business relations on February 22.
The medal was presented at a formal investiture ceremony at the British High Commissioner’s residence in New Delhi, attended by his family and close associates. The honorary knighthood was announced in 2024 with the approval of King Charles III.
Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, said, “I was delighted to present Sunil Bharti Mittal the KBE medal on behalf of His Majesty the King. Mittal is a great friend of the UK – with significant investments, including BT, Gleneagles, Norlake Hospitality, and OneWeb. Mittal’s leadership has made a lasting impact on the UK-India partnership, including through his work with the India-UK CEO Forum. Most recently, he led a senior Indian business delegation to the UK to meet with Prime Minister Starmer, the Foreign Secretary, the Chancellor, and other Cabinet Ministers to identify opportunities for accelerating economic growth across both nations. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Mittal and congratulate him once again.”
Receiving the honour, Mittal said, “It is an honour to have received the KBE from His Majesty, King Charles III. As India and the United Kingdom continue to chart remarkable scale in our bilateral relations, I acknowledge this recognition both as a privilege and a responsibility. I remain committed to working with stakeholders in our nations towards advancing India – UK business relations. On the occasion of this very special milestone, I extend my gratitude to all for their support through this journey.”