MUMBAI: Bharti Airtel has confirmed it is in discussions with the Tata group regarding a potential merger of their direct-to-home (DTH) operations. 

In a brief statement, filed with the Bombay stock exchange, Bharti Airtel acknowledged that the two companies are in bilateral talks exploring the combination of Tata Play Ltd with Bharti Telemedia Ltd, a subsidiary of Airtel. The potential transaction would need to be structured in a manner "acceptable to all parties.”

It however cautioned that discussions remain at an early stage, with no firm agreements reached.

The clarification follows reports in mainstream media about an imminent "mega DTH merger" between the two business groups.

If successful, the merger would create one of India's largest DTH operators, potentially reshaping the country's pay television landscape.

Neither company has provided details regarding timeframes, valuation, or potential regulatory hurdles that would need to be addressed for the transaction to proceed.