Telco giant Airtel Tuesday announced a partnership with SpaceX to launch Starlink’s high-speed satellite internet services in India — years after Elon Musk’s company made its first moves to enter the country, the world’s second-largest internet market after China.

Elon Musk's Starlink has signed a deal with India's No. 2 telecoms company Airtel to bring Starlink's internet services to the world's most populous country, intensifying rivalry with fellow billionaire Mukesh Ambani's telecom firm Reliance Jio.

Indian telecom operator Bharti Airtel says 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.

Reliance Jio has partnered with SpaceX to offer Starlink to its customers in India just hours after Airtel's partnership.

Despite their ambitious plans, both Airtel and Jio must wait for SpaceX to secure regulatory clearances before Starlink can officially launch in India.

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.