Sunil Bharti Mittal awarded France's highest civilian honor

Sunil Bharti Mittal, founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, has been awarded the ‘Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur’ (Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour), France's highest civilian honor. The award was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron in recognition of Mittal's contributions to strengthening economic ties between India and France, particularly in the telecommunications and digital infrastructure sectors.

French Ambassador to India, Thierry Mathou, noted that Mittal has been a friend to France for over 30 years, dating back to the early days of Airtel in 1992. Mittal currently serves as the co-chairman of the European satellite company Eutelsat, further bridging the two nations in the space and digital technology sectors.

The formal award ceremony is scheduled to take place on October 28, 2026, at the French Embassy in New Delhi. This honor follows Mittal's previous recognition by King Charles III of the United Kingdom, who conferred upon him the KBE (Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).