Bharti Airtel is in discussions with the Tata Group to merge their Direct-to-Home (DTH) businesses, with the potential for Airtel to acquire Tata Play through a share swap deal. Under this arrangement, Airtel is expected to hold a majority stake of 52-55%, while Tata Play's shareholders, including Tata Sons and Walt Disney, would retain 45-48%. The merger aims to enhance Airtel's market position amid increasing competition from streaming services. The talks were confirmed by multiple sources, including Airtel and various financial analysts, who noted that the merger could allow Airtel to gain access to 19 million homes currently served by Tata Play. The discussions are ongoing, with no final agreement yet reached.