UK to invest €163.3 million in Eutelsat

By Ojasvi Gupta

The United Kingdom will invest €163.3 million (Rs 1,634 crore) in French satellite operator Eutelsat, strengthening Europe’s effort to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink in the global satellite Internet race. This move is part of a larger €1.5 billion (Rs 15,008 crore) capital infusion into Eutelsat, following fresh contributions from France, Sunil Mittal’s Bharti Group, and others.

Bharti, which merged its satellite venture OneWeb with Eutelsat in 2023, has committed an additional €150 million (Rs 1,501 crore), reinforcing its long-standing support. Eutelsat now operates the world’s second-largest satellite fleet with 669 satellites in orbit, placing it in a strong position to expand low-earth orbit (LEO) Internet services globally.

Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman of Bharti Group and co-chairman of Eutelsat, noted that the fresh investment will help accelerate innovation under the leadership of new CEO Jean-François Fallacher. He also echoed French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent call for strategic allies such as India, Canada, Brazil, and Gulf nations to support Europe’s space ambitions.

President Macron, speaking at the Paris Air Show last month has emphasised the importance of collaborative investment to ensure Europe remains competitive in the fast-growing LEO satellite sector, where Starlink has taken an early lead.

France remains Eutelsat’s largest shareholder after this round, with a €750 million (Rs 7,504 crore) contribution securing a 29.56% stake. Bharti Space now holds 17.88%, down from 24.09%. The UK retains its 10% stake, while French shipping major CMA CGM slightly increases its holding to 7.46%. The remaining 35% is held by other investors.

This strategic funding round positions Eutelsat to expand services and innovation as global demand for satellite Internet continues to surge.