"Bharti and British Telecom (BT) have an enduring relationship going back more than two decades wherein BT owned 21% stake along with 2 board seats in Bharti Airtel Limited from 1997-2001," noted Bharti's founder and chairman, Sunil Bharti Mittal, in a statement. "Today marks a significant milestone in Bharti Group's history as we invest in BT — an iconic British Company."