Asia eSIM · IN
India भारत
Delhi markets, Kerala backwaters, Rajasthan palaces — on the cheapest 4G market in the world.
At a glance
- Top carrier
- Jio
- Network
- 4G · 5G
- Coverage
- 99%
- Activation
- < 60 sec
- Best season
- October to March. Avoid April–May (extreme heat) and June–September (monsoon).
Every India plan, one table.
All plans run on Jio 5G. Hotspot tethering is included on every tier. Top up any plan from your account in under a minute.
1 GB
Delhi layover
Validity
7 days
Network
5G
Price
$2.99
7 days
3 GB
Golden Triangle weekend
Validity
7 days
Network
5G
Price
$6.99
7 days
5 GB
Two-week tour
Validity
15 days
Network
5G
Price
$10.99
15 days
Unlimited
Heavy streamer
Validity
7 days
Network
5G
Price
$14.99
7 days
10 GB
Month in India
Validity
30 days
Network
5G
Price
$19.99
30 days
Unlimited
Unlimited month
Validity
30 days
Network
5G
Price
$29.99
30 days
20 GB
Nomad month
Validity
30 days
Network
5G
Price
$34.99
30 days
Why India is different
"Tourist physical SIMs in India legally require passport + visa scan + biometric enrollment at an authorized store — typically 30+ minutes of paperwork. An eSIM purchased before arrival bypasses all of it."
India has the cheapest mobile data in the world — Jio sells 1.5 GB per day for roughly ₹300 per month ($3.60). But tourist SIM registration requires an Aadhaar card or OCI, which foreigners cannot get without a visa extension. An eSIM skips this entirely.
Our India plans use Jio primarily with Airtel as fallback. Jio has the best rural and tier-2-city coverage; Airtel is stronger in the Northeast and Ladakh.
Coverage you can actually measure.
We run India on 2 carriers so your profile falls back automatically if one signal drops. Coverage figures are measured against our own uptime data, not carrier marketing claims.
Jio
4G · 5G
Cheapest and most widely deployed. Full 5G in 40+ Indian cities.
Airtel
4G · 5G
Stronger in the Northeast and high-altitude Ladakh.
Activation in under sixty seconds.
The exact same flow our own team uses. Screenshots in the full guide.
- 01
Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM
Scan QR before boarding.
- 02
Label "India"
Keep home SIM for iMessage and 2FA.
- 03
Data Roaming ON
Profile connects to Jio on landing at DEL, BOM, BLR, MAA.
Troubleshooting
- Leh-Ladakh region has Airtel-only service above Kardung La. Plan accordingly.
- WhatsApp and most Western apps work normally. Some government services require Indian SMS which you cannot receive.
- Monsoon season (June–September) causes periodic network slowdowns in coastal cities.
Who India eSIM is built for.
Golden Triangle tourist
Delhi → Agra → Jaipur. Full Jio coverage along the entire route including the Taj Mahal area.
Kerala backwaters traveller
Kochi, Alleppey, Varkala — Jio covers the coastal strip and most houseboat routes.
Ladakh high-altitude trekker
Airtel-preferred routing for the mountain stretches beyond Leh.
Travel facts
- Currency
- INR (₹)
- Languages
- Hindi, English, 22 official languages
- Timezone
- IST · UTC+5:30
- Plug
- Type C / Type D / Type M
- Voltage
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Visa
- e-Visa required for most Western passports. Apply online 4 days before travel.
Questions people actually ask.
- No. Aadhaar is required for physical SIMs sold inside India. An eSIM purchased abroad uses international roaming and does not require local ID.
Keep exploring
After India, travellers go to…
More about India
More ways to use a India eSIM.
Head-to-head
India vs Nepal
Subcontinent neighbours, one SIM nightmare each. Plus: high-altitude coverage falls off sharply.
Open
How-to
India eSIM setup guide
iPhone and Android step-by-step with country-specific troubleshooting.
Open
Pilgrimage pack
Kumbh Mela
The world's largest single gathering of humans. Network-stressed doesn't begin to describe it.
Open