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Bharti Airtel To Get $2 Billion From Chinese Banks For Expanding Data Network

Airtel Wins From Modi Visit, Secures $2 Billion In Funding From Chinese Banks
Chairman and Managing Director of the Bharti Airtel Limited, Sunil Mittal delivers his speech during the launch of Airtel's 4G services in Kolkata on April 10, 2012. This is the first 4G service launched in the country and within a span of a month Airtel will launch its 4G service to the next three circles in the country which include Bangalore, Pune and Chandigarh. The company claims that the 4G services will deliver High Definition (HD) video streaming, instant photo and video downloads and high speed on wireless broadband. AFP PHOTO/Dibyangshu SARKAR (Photo credit should read DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images)
DIBYANGSHU SARKAR via Getty Images
Chairman and Managing Director of the Bharti Airtel Limited, Sunil Mittal delivers his speech during the launch of Airtel's 4G services in Kolkata on April 10, 2012. This is the first 4G service launched in the country and within a span of a month Airtel will launch its 4G service to the next three circles in the country which include Bangalore, Pune and Chandigarh. The company claims that the 4G services will deliver High Definition (HD) video streaming, instant photo and video downloads and high speed on wireless broadband. AFP PHOTO/Dibyangshu SARKAR (Photo credit should read DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images)

Bharti Airtel on Saturday said it has received financing commitment of up to $2.5 billion from two Chinese banks to primarily diversify its global portfolio and invest in the growth of data networks across its operations that now span to 20 countries.

Subject to final agreements and requisite approvals, Bharti Airtel can draw the funds from China Development Bank and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China over a long term, depending on its financing requirements.

"This is the single largest bilateral commitment by China Development Bank to any telecom firm globally and the largest bilateral commitment to a private Indian company," Bharti Airtel said, after the pact was signed in Beijing, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit.

"Industrial and Commercial Bank of China has committed $500 million with an average life of about nine years, making it the largest and longest bilateral commitment to an Indian telecom operator."

"It is an endorsement of the long term potential of the Indian telecom sector. Given the availability period of three years, these financings shall further add to the financial flexibility that the company already has," said Rajan Bharti Mittal, vice chairman.

In March 2015, Bharti Airtel had announced a strategic collaboration with China Mobile, under which the two companies will work towards growth of long term evolution (LTE) ecosystem and evolve mobile technology standards.

Bharti Airtel also has network equipment sourcing agreements with ZTE and Huawei.

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