Indian telecom operator Bharti Airtel said Tuesday it has signed a deal with Elon Musk’s Starlink to explore providing the U.S. satellite internet giant’s services to customers in India, depending on government approval.

India's Bharti Airtel said on Tuesday it had signed a deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX for the highly anticipated launch of Starlink satellite internet in the world's most populous country. SpaceX's Starlink has long wanted to launch in India and has in recent months clashed with billionaire Mukesh Ambani's company over how the country should grant spectrum for satellite services.

Jio Platforms and Bharti Airtel are now preparing to compete in both traditional broadband and the satellite internet market. Starlink, developed by SpaceX, will offer internet coverage via a network of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.