UK may block Sunil Bharti Mittal exceeding 25% BT ownership
The UK government is thinking about stopping Indian billionaire Sunil Bharti Mittal from owning more than 25% of BT Group, mainly because of national security worries.
BT's broadband arm, Openreach, connects over 22 million UK homes and is considered key to the country's infrastructure.
If Mittal tries to go past the 25% mark, it will trigger a formal security review.
Government approved stake after security review
Mittal's company grabbed a 24.5% stake in BT back in 2024 from Altice founder Patrick Drahi, making him a strategic investor.
BT shares have climbed 55% since Bharti's investment.
He got two board seats and expressed support for BT's transformation program, but the government only approved his stake after a deep security review.
Officials say it is not personal: it is about keeping critical national infrastructure in sovereign UK control.