Ravishing prospects can make overly demanding partners. So Bharti Airtel seemed to think, anyway, after unceremoniously dumping MTN last weekend. The Indian operator’s courtship of South Africa’s most eligible bachelorette was a short-lived affair, collapsing just three weeks after Bharti had popped the big question. Having gathered up US$60bn in funds to pay for the wedding, Bharti was eventually turned off by MTN’s determination to play a dominant role in the marriage.

So far, however, that doesn’t seem to have dampened the ardour of Reliance Communications, Bharti’s main Indian competitor. After watching its rival suitor quickly lose interest in MTN, Reliance has moved in with an offer of its own. A prospective tie-up between the two could take the form of a ‘reverse take-over’ – whereby Reliance would make the proposal but MTN would end up calling the shots.

Reliance would be marrying into lots of money and power. In practical terms, its chairman, the billionaire Anil Ambani, would accept MTN stock in exchange for his 66% stake in Reliance, becoming the single biggest shareholder in the merged entity. Other big Reliance shareholders would be similarly compensated.

By retaining control, MTN, for its part, would not demean itself in the eyes of the South African elite. It would also become one of the strongest players in emerging markets worldwide, with nearly 120m subscribers across Africa, the Middle East and, of course, India.

As did Bharti, Reliance has emphasised this is early days in the process. But if it does go ahead, Bharti could stand to lose out in a rather embarrassing fashion. Having exposed MTN’s willingness to tie the knot – albeit on its own terms – the Indian number one may unwittingly have invited an African behemoth to run riot in its own backyard.