From Telecom To Consumer Loans: Sunil Mittal On Airtel's Next Growth Bets

Bharti Airtel is looking beyond traditional telecom services as it expands into financial services, consumer lending and new digital businesses. Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, explains how Airtel plans to leverage its large customer base, brand loyalty and customer insights to offer consumer loans in India. He also highlights the success of Airtel Money in 14 African countries, where mobile financial services play a significant role in providing access to banking-like services. On international expansion, Mittal discusses opportunities across Africa and the UK, leaving the door open for a potential expansion into other European markets. Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum 2026, he outlines Airtel's ambition to build on its telecom strength while pursuing new growth opportunities across markets and digital services.