Sunil Mittal to Step Down: Next Gen to Lead Airtel Within 10 Years

A significant and far-reaching announcement has emerged for the millions of Bharti Airtel customers and the broader Indian corporate landscape. The foundation of the Airtel empire, which was laid in 1995 in Delhi, is now witnessing the drafting of a new blueprint for its future leadership. Sunil Bharti Mittal, the founder and current Chairman and Managing Director of Bharti Airtel, clarified on Thursday that he intends to hand over the complete command of the telecom giant to the next generation within the next decade, while according to a detailed report by CNBC, Mittal disclosed this strategic decision during the company's earnings call. Alongside this announcement, he expressed profound concern regarding the ongoing tensions in West Asia, noting that the geopolitical situation is impacting the company's business operations across multiple fronts.

The 10-Year Leadership Succession Masterplan

This announcement by Sunil Bharti Mittal follows his recent re-appointment on Wednesday as the Chairman of Bharti Airtel for another five-year term, while this new tenure is scheduled to become effective from October 1, 2026, although it currently awaits formal approval from the company's shareholders. The declaration to transfer leadership within a 10-year window indicates that this transition won't be an overnight occurrence. Instead, it will be a meticulously planned and systematic transfer of power to the next generation. Sunil Mittal, who pioneered Bharti Enterprises, will continue to serve in his role as Chairman in an executive capacity, guiding the organization through this critical phase of evolution and ensuring stability during the transition period.

Financial Milestones: Revenue Growth and ARPU Targets

During the earnings call, Mittal elaborated on the company's financial performance and its future trajectory. He stated explicitly that he isn't satisfied with the current Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) figures and emphasized that the company would take all necessary measures to enhance this metric. In terms of specific data, Airtel's mobile service segment in India generated a revenue of 28,831 crore in the most recent quarter, marking a strong growth of 8 percent. Also, the company's ARPU witnessed a 5 percent increase, rising from 245 to 257. The Chairman's firm stance on improving margins strongly suggests that the company may implement hikes in the prices of its recharge plans in the future to achieve these financial objectives.

Profitability Trends and the 2 Lakh Crore Revenue Landmark

5 percent, settling at 7,325 crore. This reduction in profit was primarily attributed to a one-time provision related to taxes and other statutory liabilities. For comparison, during the same period in the previous year (March 2025), the profit stood at 12,476 crore, bolstered by one-time gains. Despite these bottom-line fluctuations, Bharti Airtel achieved a historic milestone. Driven by a massive 40 percent surge in its African business operations, the company's total annual revenue surpassed the prestigious 2,00,000 crore mark for the first time in its history.

Global Dominance and Strategic Business Expansion

Airtel's influence continues to expand aggressively from India to Africa, while by March 2026, the company successfully crossed the milestone of 65 crore customers globally. With this achievement, Airtel has solidified its position as the world's second-largest telecommunications company, making it the only Indian telecom firm to reach such a global ranking. In the Indian market, the company added 2 crore smartphone data users to its base. 1 GB. Executive Vice Chairman Gopal Vittal noted that the 2026 financial year has been a landmark period, highlighted by the launch of the Sovereign Cloud and the receipt of RBI approval to commence lending operations.