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Macron confers France's highest civilian award on Sunil Bharti Mittal
The Hindu··12h ago
French President Emmanuel Macron has conferred the Chevalier de l'Ordre national de la Légion d'Honneur on Bharti Enterprises chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal. A company statement cited his work on India-France economic ties and in telecommunications. The insignia will be conferred at a ceremony on October 28, 2026, in New Delhi. The Légion d'Honneur was established in 1802.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Mittal receives the insignia at a ceremony on October 28, 2026, at the Embassy of France in New Delhi.
- Mittal said he accepts the honour with a renewed commitment to further deepen the economic ties between India and France.
- Ambassador Thierry Mathou said the two countries are moving forward jointly in space and digital technology.
What's Happening
- The honour is the Chevalier rank, Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour, conferred by French President Emmanuel Macron.
- Mathou said Mittal has been a friend of France for more than thirty years, since the early days of Airtel in 1992.
- Mathou described Mittal as Vice-Chairman of Eutelsat. Mittal described his role as Co-Chairman of the European satellite champion.
Mittal and France Since 1992
- Mittal said his 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.
- In 2007, Mittal was conferred the Padma Bhushan.
- In 2024, he became the first Indian citizen to be honoured as a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by King Charles III.
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