New Delhi, May 29: Telecom industry leader and Bharti Group Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal on Thursday extended unequivocal support for the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, arguing that the frequent electoral cycle disrupts economic momentum and slows governance.
“Too many elections are creating too many slowdowns,” Mittal said at the CII Annual Business Summit 2025, urging India Inc to step beyond commercial concerns and engage in the national interest.
Addressing a room packed with industry leaders and policy influencers, Mittal called on the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to spearhead an outreach initiative to engage political parties across the board.
“One area where I would ask CII to get more engaged is… One Nation, One Election,” he said. “It may be a touchy subject, one considered outside the boundary of industry, but it affects us all.”
Mittal emphasized that the model code of conduct, imposed every time an election is announced, halts government contracts and payments, triggering delays and disruptions in business activity.
“Government work comes to a stop, restrictions kick in, and economic activity stalls. This keeps happening every few months, every year, somewhere or the other,” he said.
CII has previously submitted recommendations in support of synchronizing state and national elections, citing similar concerns. Mittal’s call adds further weight to the corporate sector’s backing of the idea.
“Hopefully, we may again have contributed importantly to an issue key for our country’s growth,” Mittal remarked. “In doing so, the industry would have reaffirmed that we look beyond profitability and revenues.”
Turning to the issue of cryptocurrency, Mittal said global developments—particularly the renewed support for crypto under the Trump administration—necessitate a serious rethink of India’s current stance.
“India has so far said ‘no’ to crypto, instead focusing on its own digital currency. But with the world shifting so fast, we can’t keep grappling with it—we have to embrace and regulate it,” he said.
Describing the acceleration of crypto markets as “never-seen-before,” Mittal warned that inaction could leave India behind. “This is a generational shift. We have to adopt it and use it to our advantage,” he said.
He called for policymakers to swiftly draft regulatory frameworks in line with global trends, acknowledging that the technological space is evolving at breakneck speed.
“Eventually, my friends, we really need to get there,” Mittal concluded, pressing both industry and government to act decisively on key structural and technological changes shaping the future.
