Is There Room for a New Telecom Player in India? Rajan Bharti Mittal Explains | Republic Leadership Conclave

Speaking at the Republic Leadership Conclave, Rajan Bharti Mittal, Vice Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, shed light on the future of competition in India’s telecom space. When asked if there was room for a new player to challenge giants like Airtel and Reliance Jio, Mittal was candid in his assessment.

“India is a large market… competition must remain, it must keep you healthy, it must challenge you, otherwise you’ll be complacent,” he said. “Historically, companies who have been complacent have died in one, two, maximum three generations.”

Global Trends Point Towards Consolidation
Mittal highlighted that the consolidation trend is not unique to India. “Globally, telecom is getting consolidated. You see US, there were four players, today they’re left with three. UK three. Every country today is consolidating on telecom because if you do not have the heft and the consumer base you can’t survive,” he said.

New Entrants Face High Barriers
While acknowledging India’s vibrant entrepreneurial spirit, Mittal admitted that the market is already near saturation. “India has three players and BSNL which is the fourth player. It’s absolutely saturated because we are already at the cusp of touching everybody. You need big bucks to roll out networks to cover all India,” he explained.

He added that the cost of setting up a nationwide telecom network today is prohibitively high, making it nearly impossible for a young entrepreneur to compete with established players like Airtel and Reliance Jio.

Bottom Line
Mittal’s message was clear: while competition is healthy and necessary, the era of new greenfield telecom entrants in India is likely over. With three dominant private players and BSNL already covering most of the market, the sector is now about scale, customer service, and staying ahead in technology.
 
Read More - 'We Are at a Very Bright Spot': Rajan Mittal on India’s Economic Journey