In Indian telecom industry news, which of the following telecom companies agreed to acquire the business of Telenor India in all seven of its operating circles for an undisclosed sum?

Introduction / Context:
This question draws on current affairs relating to mergers and acquisitions in the Indian telecommunications sector. Over the last decade, intense competition, spectrum costs, and regulatory changes have led to consolidation among telecom operators. One notable deal involved a major Indian telecom company acquiring the operations of Telenor India in several circles. Such questions test whether candidates follow business news and can connect company names with key transactions.

Given Data / Assumptions:
The question asks which telecom company would acquire the business of Telenor India across all seven circles in which it operated. The options are:

• BSNL
• Tata Docomo
• Bharti Airtel
• MTS India

It is assumed that the learner has encountered this acquisition in business news or exam oriented current affairs notes.

Concept / Approach:
Telenor India was a subsidiary of the Norwegian telecom group Telenor. Facing intense competition and the need for scale, Telenor sold its Indian operations. Bharti Airtel, one of India's largest private telecom operators, entered into an agreement to acquire Telenor India's business in all seven circles, including customers, spectrum, and licences, subject to regulatory approvals. BSNL is a government owned operator and did not acquire Telenor India. Tata Docomo was itself dealing with merger issues, and MTS India eventually merged into RCom, not into Airtel in this particular deal. Therefore, Bharti Airtel is the correct answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Telenor India was a relatively smaller operator compared to big players like Airtel, Vodafone, and Idea. Step 2: Remember the news of a major deal where Bharti Airtel announced it would take over Telenor India's operations in seven circles. Step 3: Identify that BSNL, being a public sector company, was not the acquirer in this transaction. Step 4: Note that Tata Docomo was involved in separate consolidation processes, and MTS India merged with RCom, not with Telenor India. Step 5: On this basis, choose Bharti Airtel as the correct option.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be done by remembering that after the agreement, Telenor India customers were gradually migrated onto the Airtel network. Press releases and news headlines clearly mentioned that Airtel would acquire Telenor India's assets and customers in states such as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and others. BSNL, while a major player, did not feature in those reports as a buyer. Similarly, Tata group's telecom operations and MTS had their own separate deals. These consistent references across media sources confirm that Bharti Airtel is the acquirer mentioned in the question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
BSNL: A government owned operator that did not purchase Telenor India's business in these circles.

Tata Docomo: Another private operator, but it was not the buyer in Telenor India's exit; Tata's telecom interests went through other forms of consolidation.

MTS India: A CDMA based operator that later merged with RCom; it did not acquire Telenor India.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may confuse this deal with other telecom mergers, such as Vodafone–Idea or RCom–MTS, and guess the wrong company. Others might assume that the government company BSNL absorbed smaller operators. To avoid these pitfalls, it helps to maintain a brief timeline of major telecom mergers: Telenor India into Bharti Airtel, MTS into RCom, and Vodafone with Idea Cellular, among others.

Final Answer:
Telenor India's business in all seven circles was agreed to be acquired by Bharti Airtel.