Digitnomics 
By Francisca Anuforo,
The United Kingdom government may oppose any move by Indian conglomerate Bharti Enterprises to increase its stake in telecom giant BT Group beyond its current holding, amid growing concerns around digital sovereignty and control of critical national infrastructure.
According to a report by the Financial Times, UK authorities are increasingly cautious about expanding foreign influence over strategic infrastructure assets, particularly telecommunications networks regarded as central to national resilience and security.
Bharti Enterprises currently owns nearly 25 per cent of BT Group after acquiring a major stake in 2024.
Media reports last week suggested the Indian group was considering increasing its shareholding, although Bharti later denied claims published by Reuters that it was exploring such a move.
The Financial Times, citing government sources, reported that any attempt by Bharti to raise its stake beyond the 25 per cent threshold would likely trigger regulatory scrutiny.
Under UK regulations, increasing ownership above 25 per cent requires a formal government review, while crossing the 30 per cent mark could compel the investor to make a full takeover offer.
Officials reportedly stressed that the issue is not specific to Bharti itself but reflects broader concerns about maintaining sovereign control over assets considered strategically important.
“The position reflects the importance of resilience and sovereign capabilities in today’s world,” the newspaper quoted a government figure as saying.
BT occupies a critical position within the UK’s communications infrastructure landscape through its ownership of Openreach, the network business responsible for maintaining the country’s fixed-line infrastructure and driving nationwide full-fibre broadband deployment.
The infrastructure arm has become increasingly central to Britain’s digital economy ambitions as government and industry push for wider high-speed broadband access and stronger connectivity resilience.
Bharti has consistently maintained that its investment in BT is strategic rather than acquisitive.
Since taking the stake in 2024, the company has repeatedly stated that it has no intention of pursuing a full takeover of the British telecom operator.
However, the latest developments highlight how national security and technology sovereignty concerns are increasingly shaping foreign investment decisions across telecoms and digital infrastructure globally.
Governments across Europe and other major markets have become more sensitive to ownership structures involving critical digital assets, particularly as connectivity infrastructure becomes more intertwined with economic security, cybersecurity and geopolitical strategy.
For BT, which sits at the heart of Britain’s telecom backbone, any significant ownership restructuring is likely to remain closely watched by regulators and policymakers.
