Bharthi Airtel says no plan to sell Sri Lanka operations

Bharthi Airtel has refuted a media report in India that the company was in talks with Etisalat Lanka to sell its Sri Lankan operation.

“At the moment, I can say that there is nothing on the table,” Sunil Bharti Mittal, founder, chairman and group CEO was quoted as saying in an Indiabased Economic Times report this week.

Asked to comment on reports of a sale of its Sri Lanka operations, he told the Economic Times: “Bankers keep on bringing proposals. They will keep on churning their own combinations and options. I think these are all kite flying. But whenever there is an event, our company being a public listed company, is obliged to make declarations and will immediately announce it.”

Last month the paper reported that an acquisition of Bharthi Airtel Lanka was in the works by Etisalat Lanka, with the aid of Standard Chartered Bank.