The Ambassador of France to India, H.E. Mr Thierry Mathou, has conferred the insignia of Chevalier de l'Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur (Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour) on the founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises, Mr Sunil Bharti Mittal, during a special ceremony at the Residence of France on October 28.
France has honoured Sunil Bharti Mittal with its highest civilian award, the Legion of Honour, for his enduring dedication to boosting Indo-French economic ties as well as his pioneering achievements in telecommunications, digital infrastructure and satellite communications.
Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Thierry Mathou underscored Mr Bharti’s unstinting contribution to enhancing Indo-French ties, stating: “The conferring of the Chevalier de l’Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur on Mr Sunil Bharti Mittal comes in recognition of his outstanding contribution in promoting Indo-French economic ties. Not only has Mr Mittal fortified relations with French business through his associations with France’s multinational insurance group AXA as well as telecoms equipment maker Alcatel-Lucent but also supported France’s ambition in achieving strategic independence through his investment in French satellite giant Eutelsat. This decoration reflects France’s gratitude and admiration for Mr Mittal’s longstanding commitment to deepening business relations and securing strategic engagement with France through foundational partnerships, high-level diplomatic dialogues, and massive investments in the satellite communications sector.”
Accepting the award, Mr Bharti said, “I am moved and humbled by this gracious award from the President of the French Republic. My association with France began at Airtel’s inception in 1992, when Compagnie Générale des Eaux joined hands with Bharti to introduce mobile telephony in India, and continues today through my role as Vice-Président of Eutelsat, the European satellite champion. I accept this honour with gratitude to President Macron and with a renewed commitment to further deepen the economic ties between India and France.”