# eSIM for India Viasimo's India eSIM starts at $1.29 for 100 MB over 7 days, running on AirTel with 5G where available. Plans last 3 to 180 days, arrive by email in minutes and install from your phone's settings, with no app. Canonical page: https://viasimo.com/destinations/india/ ## India eSIM prices | Plan | Data | Days | Price | Price per GB | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Unlimited, 3 days | Unlimited | 3 | $12.99 | - | | Unlimited, 5 days | Unlimited | 5 | $19.99 | - | | 100 MB, 7 days | 100 MB | 7 | $1.29 | $13.21 | | 500 MB, 7 days | 500 MB | 7 | $2.29 | $4.69 | | 1 GB, 7 days | 1 GB | 7 | $2.59 | $2.59 | | Unlimited, 7 days | Unlimited | 7 | $26.00 | - | | Unlimited, 10 days | Unlimited | 10 | $36.99 | - | | 2 GB, 15 days | 2 GB | 15 | $4.79 | $2.40 | | Unlimited, 15 days | Unlimited | 15 | $53.99 | - | | 3 GB, 30 days | 3 GB | 30 | $6.99 | $2.33 | | 5 GB, 30 days | 5 GB | 30 | $10.99 | $2.20 | | 10 GB, 30 days | 10 GB | 30 | $18.99 | $1.90 | | 20 GB, 30 days | 20 GB | 30 | $31.99 | $1.60 | | 50 GB, 30 days | 50 GB | 30 | $71.99 | $1.44 | | Unlimited, 30 days | Unlimited | 30 | $97.99 | - | | Unlimited, 60 days | Unlimited | 60 | $199.99 | - | | Unlimited, 90 days | Unlimited | 90 | $299.99 | - | | Unlimited, 180 days | Unlimited | 180 | $584.99 | - | ## Which networks does the India eSIM use? - **AirTel**: 5G Your eSIM picks one automatically; you do not choose or switch between them. The operator list comes from the network partner that carries this eSIM. Verified October 30, 2026. ## eSIM Details - **Data**: 100 MB – 50 GB or unlimited - **Validity**: 3–180 days - **Speed**: 4G LTE / 5G - **Hotspot / tethering**: Supported on most devices - **Activation**: Automatic on arrival - **Speed management**: Roughly 2-3 GB per day at full speed, sometimes less depending on the local carrier, then reduced - **Top-ups**: Add more data from your account, before the plan expires - **Text messages (SMS)**: Data only: use an app for verification codes - **Connects via**: Singapore - **Unused validity**: 180 days before it must be installed ## India: what to know before you land Source: https://viasimo.com/destinations/india/#destination-guide · Researched October 2026 by Viasimo Your eSIM in India runs on Airtel, the second-largest network after Jio, with around 352 million subscribers. Three rules matter more than signal strength: satellite phones and standalone GPS or satellite messengers are illegal without a licence, many border and island areas need a Restricted Area Permit, and UPI One World lets visitors pay at QR codes without an Indian bank account. ### India: quick facts | Fact | India | | --- | --- | | Emergency number | 112 (police 100, fire 101, ambulance 102 or 108) | | Main airports | Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi (DEL); Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai (BOM); Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR); Chennai International Airport (MAA); Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad (HYD) | | Plug types | Type C, D, M (230V) | | Currency | Indian rupee (INR) | | Apps worth having | WhatsApp, Uber, Ola, Rapido, IRCTC Rail Connect, Zomato, Swiggy | ### Satellite phones, inReach and GPS units: leave them at home (India · https://viasimo.com/destinations/india/#guide-satellite-phones-inreach-and-gps-units-leave-them-at-home) Trekkers heading for Ladakh, Spiti or the Uttarakhand and Sikkim Himalaya often pack a satellite communicator for areas without signal. In India that can get you arrested. GOV.UK says it is **illegal to possess or operate satellite phones and GPS devices without a licence**, even if you are only transiting, and that the rule extends to other satellite-enabled devices such as handheld or cycling GPS units. The US State Department warns that penalties can include fines of up to US$200,000 and up to three years in prison, and equipment is confiscated. Licences are requested through India's **Department of Telecommunications**, and trekkers need prior permission from the authorities. For most visitors the realistic choice is not to bring the device. What to do instead: - Download offline maps and route files to your phone before you leave a town with mobile signal. - Book treks through registered local operators who know the permit and communication arrangements for the route. - Agree check-in times with someone at home, and expect to be out of contact for days on high routes. For emergencies, India's national number is **112**. Your eSIM is data only, so emergency calls go through your home SIM or a local phone. ### UPI One World: paying at QR codes without an Indian bank account (India · https://viasimo.com/destinations/india/#guide-upi-one-world-paying-at-qr-codes-without-an-indian-bank-account) India's Unified Payments Interface runs everything from tea stalls to train tickets, and payment counters display QR codes everywhere. For years visitors could not use it without an Indian bank account. **UPI One World**, announced by the National Payments Corporation of India in July 2024 with IDFC First Bank and Transcorp International under Reserve Bank of India direction, is a prepaid wallet built for international visitors. How it works: - **KYC** uses your passport and a valid visa. - You can set it up through approved issuers at **airports, hotels and money-exchange outlets**, among other places. - You load it with an international debit or credit card, then scan merchant QR codes like a local. - Unused balance can be refunded to the original card, in line with foreign exchange rules. The rollout has been framed partly around visitors from G20 countries, so check eligibility for your nationality with the issuer. Separately, some banks let non-resident Indians link UPI to international mobile numbers from 11 countries, including the UK, US, UAE and Singapore. The wallet runs on mobile data, so keep your eSIM connected when paying. Carry cash too: GOV.UK and the State Department note that many hospitals and smaller businesses still expect cash. ### Restricted Area Permits for Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal and the Andamans (India · https://viasimo.com/destinations/india/#guide-restricted-area-permits-for-ladakh-sikkim-arunachal-and-the-andamans) Large parts of India need a permit for foreigners on top of your visa. According to the US State Department, permits from the Bureau of Immigration or the Ministry of Home Affairs are required for: - the **Andaman and Nicobar Islands** and **Lakshadweep** - **Arunachal Pradesh** and parts of **Sikkim** - certain parts of **Ladakh**, and parts of **Jammu and Kashmir** near the Line of Control - portions of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. You can apply at Indian embassies and consulates abroad, or in India through the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi. Permits for Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim can also be issued at official state guesthouses in New Delhi. Phone tips for permit areas: - Keep a **digital copy and printed copies** of permits, your passport and visa. Checkpoints in remote valleys may have no signal. - GOV.UK warns that during strikes, protests and curfews **mobile networks and internet may be disrupted**. Have offline maps and contacts ready. - Your e-visa is valid only at designated airports, seaports and selected land crossings, and must be applied for at least four days ahead. An electronic arrival form can be filed up to 72 hours before you fly, a useful job for your phone at the departure gate. ### Sources for the India guide - [India travel advice: safety and security – GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/india/safety-and-security) - [India international travel information – US Department of State](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/India.html) - [Unified Payments Interface – Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Payments_Interface) - [Bharti Airtel – Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharti_Airtel) ## Seven days in India: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur on the Golden Triangle 7-day itinerary · 7 days · Source: https://viasimo.com/destinations/india/#itinerary The classic first visit to north India, suited to travellers who want the big monuments at a manageable pace: two days in Delhi, the Taj Mahal at sunrise in Agra, Fatehpur Sikri on the road west, and two days in Jaipur's forts and palaces. **When to go:** October to March is cool and dry, with December and January mornings often foggy around Delhi and Agra; April to June is very hot, and the July to September monsoon brings humidity and heavy rain; the Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays. ### Day 1 in India: Old Delhi - **Base:** Delhi - **Getting there:** The Airport Express metro line links Indira Gandhi International Airport with central New Delhi in about 20 minutes. - **Plan:** Start at the Red Fort, the Mughal palace complex and a UNESCO site, then walk or take a cycle rickshaw through Chandni Chowk's lanes to Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque; dress modestly and leave shoes at the gate. In the afternoon, visit the Gurdwara Bangla Sahib to see its community kitchen at work, then end at India Gate as the lights come on. - **Mobile signal:** Airtel 5G is widely available in central Delhi, and the Delhi Metro has coverage in stations and tunnels. The dense lanes of Chandni Chowk can slow data. ### Day 2 in India: New Delhi: Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar - **Base:** Delhi - **Plan:** Visit Humayun's Tomb, the garden tomb that inspired the Taj Mahal, then walk through the Sufi shrine at Nizamuddin nearby. Take the metro south to the Qutub Minar complex, with its 73 m sandstone tower and the iron pillar. Finish at Lodhi Garden for an evening walk among 15th-century tombs, or at the Lotus Temple if it is open. - **Mobile signal:** Strong 4G and 5G across New Delhi. Use Uber, Ola or the metro rather than street taxis, and set pickups in the app. ### Day 3 in India: To Agra: Mehtab Bagh at sunset - **Base:** Agra - **Getting there:** The fastest trains from Delhi to Agra take about two hours; book on IRCTC Rail Connect, as tickets sell out. - **Plan:** Take a morning train to Agra. After checking in, visit Agra Fort, the red sandstone Mughal fortress where Shah Jahan spent his last years looking across the river at the Taj Mahal. Visit the tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah, often called the Baby Taj, then cross to Mehtab Bagh, a garden on the far bank of the Yamuna, for a sunset view of the Taj Mahal. - **Mobile signal:** Generally good 4G on the Delhi to Agra line, with 5G in central Agra. Signal can be weaker inside the thick walls of Agra Fort. ### Day 4 in India: Taj Mahal at sunrise, then Fatehpur Sikri - **Base:** Jaipur - **Getting there:** About five to six hours by road from Agra to Jaipur, including the stop at Fatehpur Sikri. - **Plan:** Enter the Taj Mahal when the gates open, about 30 minutes before sunrise, to see the marble change colour with fewer crowds. Leave Agra mid-morning by car for Fatehpur Sikri, the abandoned Mughal capital, and walk through its palaces and the Jama Masjid. Continue to Jaipur, stopping at the Chand Baori stepwell in Abhaneri if you leave early enough. - **Mobile signal:** Data works in the Taj Mahal gardens but slows when crowds build, and photography is not allowed inside the main mausoleum. Expect 4G along most of the highway to Jaipur. ### Day 5 in India: Jaipur: Amber Fort and Nahargarh - **Base:** Jaipur - **Getting there:** Amber Fort is about 30 minutes by road from central Jaipur. - **Plan:** Go early to Amber Fort, on a hillside above Maota Lake 11 km north of the city, and explore its mirrored Sheesh Mahal. Walk the ramparts to Jaigarh Fort above if you have energy. On the way back, stop for the photograph of Jal Mahal in Man Sagar lake, then drive up to Nahargarh Fort for sunset over the Pink City. - **Mobile signal:** Good 4G and 5G in central Jaipur. Signal is weaker on the ridge between Amber, Jaigarh and Nahargarh. ### Day 6 in India: Jaipur: the City Palace and the Pink City - **Base:** Jaipur - **Plan:** Start at the City Palace, still home to the former royal family, then cross to Jantar Mantar, the UNESCO-listed 18th-century observatory with its giant sundial. See the honeycomb facade of the Hawa Mahal from the street, then climb inside for the view over the market. Spend the afternoon browsing Johari and Bapu bazaars for textiles and jewellery. - **Mobile signal:** Strong 5G throughout the old city. Keep UPI One World or a card ready, as many market stalls accept QR payments. ### Day 7 in India: Back to Delhi - **Base:** Delhi - **Getting there:** About four to five hours by train or road from Jaipur to Delhi, or about an hour by air. - **Plan:** Spend the morning at the Albert Hall Museum in Ram Niwas Garden, or visit Galta Ji, the temple complex in a gorge on the edge of Jaipur, known for its monkeys. Then take the train or a short flight back to Delhi for your departure; if you have time in Delhi, walk the Sunder Nursery gardens beside Humayun's Tomb. - **Mobile signal:** 4G along most of the rail line, with occasional gaps in rural Rajasthan and Haryana. Download your e-ticket and boarding pass before you leave. ### Staying connected on this India route - Leave satellite phones and handheld GPS or satellite messengers at home; they are illegal in India without a licence. - Install IRCTC Rail Connect, Uber or Ola, and set up UPI One World if you want to pay at QR codes. - Save your Taj Mahal and Agra Fort e-tickets offline, as signal can be crowded at the gates. ### Sources for the India itinerary - [Taj Mahal (official site, Government of Uttar Pradesh)](https://www.tajmahal.gov.in/) - [UNESCO: The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1338) - [UNESCO: Red Fort Complex](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/231) - [GOV.UK foreign travel advice: India](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/india) ## About this eSIM India does more on mobile data than almost anywhere else on earth, and as a visitor you inherit that infrastructure the moment your profile registers. The practical consequence is that your phone stops being a travel accessory and becomes the thing you book trains with, pay auto drivers through and read menus in. The other consequence is that India is enormous and wildly uneven, so what "good coverage" means in Bandra is not what it means on a road above Leh. ### Getting online when you land Long haul arrivals land mostly at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad or Chennai, and the immigration queues at the big international terminals are long enough that your profile will have registered before you reach the front. Switch it on while you are taxiing or waiting, then check you have a mobile network name showing in the status bar before you leave the terminal building. Load the profile onto your phone at home, on wifi. This matters more in India than in a small country, because the first thing you will want on landing is a prepaid taxi or an app cab, and the app cab pickup points at Indian airports are meeting a driver you can only find by calling or messaging him. That call happens over your data connection. Have it ready before you walk out of arrivals at two in the morning. Confirm that roaming is switched on for the travel profile and that it is set as your default for mobile data, while your home line stays available for one time passcodes from your own bank. Indian services will not text you; the profile is data only, which is fine because everyone here communicates on WhatsApp anyway. ### The networks you'll be on The operator on this profile is AirTel, which runs 4G LTE and 5G where it has been rolled out. The workhorse across the country is 4G, and it is deployed at a density that would embarrass a lot of richer markets. Where 5G is available on Airtel, it is concentrated in the metros and larger cities rather than spread thin. A note on behaviour rather than technology. Indian networks are heavily loaded, and time of day changes your experience more than the radio generation does. A connection that flies at seven in the morning can crawl at nine in the evening in a dense residential district. If you have something important to upload, do it early. ### Where coverage holds, and where it thins The metros are comprehensively served: Mumbai, Delhi and the wider NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Calcutta all give you fast, dense service including on the metro rail systems and the ring roads. The golden triangle tourist corridor, the expressways between major cities, and the main rail trunk routes hold up well, though a moving train will hand you between masts constantly and video will stutter even when messaging is fine. Then the country changes character. Goa is well covered along both the north and south beach strips, with weaker patches inland and on the river ferries. Kerala is good in Kochi, Trivandrum and along the coastal highway, and noticeably thinner out on the backwaters once your houseboat leaves the main channels. Rajasthan is solid in Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur and fades into the Thar towards the border, where long desert runs and camel camps sit outside anything useful. The mountains are the real gap. Ladakh has service in and around Leh and very little across the high passes, the Nubra and Pangong roads, or the Zanskar side. The same applies to Spiti, the upper Himachal valleys and the Uttarakhand trekking approaches: valley floors and towns yes, ridges and passes no. The northeastern states, the hill districts of Meghalaya and Arunachal, tribal Odisha and the Sundarbans delta all range from patchy to absent, and the Andaman and Nicobar islands vary sharply between Port Blair and everywhere else. ### What you'll actually use data for here Transport, first and last. App cabs and app booked motorbike taxis are the default way to move in every big city, and the driver conversation is a phone call. Indian Railways bookings, live train running status and platform numbers all live online, and platform numbers here genuinely change. Metro tickets in several cities are QR codes on your screen. Food delivery is unusually good and unusually cheap, and it is the answer to the first evening when you cannot face going out. Payment counters everywhere display QR codes for the national instant payment system, and while most visitors end up on cards and cash instead, you will still be scanning menus, tracking parcels and translating signage constantly. Maps are essential in cities where the address is a landmark rather than a street number, and where "opposite the temple" is the actual direction you will be given. ### Before you fly Install and verify the profile at home, and confirm your phone shows it as a second line rather than replacing your existing one. Download offline maps for every city on your route plus the road corridors between them; the corridors are the bit people forget. Save your hotel addresses in local script where you can, screenshot train ticket PDFs rather than trusting an inbox you may not reach, and put your driver and guide numbers in your contacts before you need them. Carry a power bank, because a day of navigation, heat and constant screen use will finish a battery well before dinner. And check your handset supports eSIM before buying, since a profile that will not install is a bad discovery to make in an arrivals hall. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does an eSIM work in India? Yes. Your India eSIM connects automatically the moment you arrive, with no roaming fees and nothing to set up at the airport. The host networks it can use are AirTel. Coverage runs on 4G LTE and 5G where the network has rolled it out, and falls back to 4G elsewhere. ### Do I get 5G in India? Yes, where it has been deployed. 5G runs on AirTel in India, and your eSIM uses it automatically on a 5G-capable phone, dropping back to 4G LTE outside covered areas. No country is covered everywhere, so 5G availability varies by location. ### Can I take a satellite phone or Garmin inReach to India? Not without a licence. GOV.UK says possessing or operating satellite phones and GPS devices in India without a licence is illegal, even in transit, and this covers other satellite-enabled devices such as handheld GPS units. The US State Department warns of fines up to US$200,000 and up to three years in prison. Licences come from the Department of Telecommunications. ### Can foreign tourists use UPI in India? Yes, through UPI One World, a prepaid wallet launched in July 2024 for international visitors. You complete KYC with your passport and visa at approved issuers, including some airports, hotels and money-exchange outlets, load it by card, and scan QR codes like locals. Unused money can be refunded to your card. Check eligibility for your nationality. ### Do I need a permit to visit Ladakh or the Andaman Islands? For some areas, yes. Foreigners need permits for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Arunachal Pradesh, parts of Sikkim and certain parts of Ladakh, among others. Apply at Indian embassies abroad or through the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi. Keep digital and printed copies, as checkpoints may have no signal. ### Is Airtel a good network for travelling in India? It is one of the two largest. Airtel had around 352 million mobile subscribers in March 2024, second only to Jio, and has tested 5G on the 3.5 GHz band at more than 1.2 Gbit/s. Like every Indian network, it is strongest in cities and along main corridors, with gaps in the high Himalaya and remote islands. ### How much data do I need for 7 days in India? For 7 days in India, Viasimo sells 100 MB for $1.29, 500 MB for $2.29, 1 GB for $2.59, and unlimited data for $26.00. Our sizing recommendation, not a measurement: maps, messaging and the occasional lookup, about 1 GB a week; maps, social, photos and some browsing, about 3 to 7 GB a week. The data calculator on this site works it out from how you actually use your phone. ## Information and verification - **Prices and plans**: Every price and allowance on this page is read from the live catalog, not typed in. Verified October 30, 2026. - **Host networks**: The operator list comes from the network partner that carries this eSIM. Verified October 30, 2026.