Indian publication Hindu Business Line reports that Bharti Airtel is in talks with peers Vodafone Essar and Idea Cellular to form a strategic partnership to offer 3G services on a countrywide basis. The alliance is necessary because none of these operators own 3G spectrum in all of the country’s telecom circles, which Bharti says “leaves a lot of opportunity for collaboration.” The companies are already partners in the Indus Tower infrastructure joint venture.