Stay online in India from the moment you land in Delhi, Mumbai or Bengaluru. Install a data eSIM before you fly, skip the paperwork of a local SIM, and keep your usual number for calls and texts while you use maps, ride-hailing apps and WhatsApp.
India eSIM
India eSIM plans
Every plan is data only, priced in US dollars, with no contract and nothing to return.
Our picks
Three plans we would buy ourselves, by the trip you are taking. Every plan we sell is listed below.
Short trip
4.2 GB
0.6 GB a day
7 days
A week or so away: maps, messages, rides and the odd video call.
$1.43 per GB
$5.99
Buy this planLong trip
22.5 GB
1.5 GB a day
15 days
Two weeks or more, with room for photos, streaming and work email.
$0.89 per GB
$19.99
Buy this planHeavy use
Unlimited data
7 days
You stream, work online or share your connection every day.
Full speed for the first 5 GB each day
$24.99
Buy this plan
Fixed data
One allowance for the whole trip, used at your own pace.
Daily data
A fresh allowance every day, slower above it until the next day.
Unlimited data
No cap on data, with a fair-use speed limit after heavy daily use.
Also covered by Asia Pacific
One eSIM that also works in the other countries of the bundle, for a trip that crosses borders.
See every country in Asia Pacific
Also covered by Global (170 countries)
One eSIM that also works in the other countries of the bundle, for a trip that crosses borders.
See every country in Global (170 countries)
Also covered by Global (75 countries)
One eSIM that also works in the other countries of the bundle, for a trip that crosses borders.
See every country in Global (75 countries)
No eSIM, no charge. If your payment goes through and we cannot issue your eSIM, we refund you in full. Refund policy
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Local networks. See which ones it uses in India
Which India plan fits your trip
India plans come in two shapes. The plan cards above show the days and data on sale:
- Daily data suits steady use. The 0.6 GB a day plans cover maps and messages at the lowest price; the 1.5 GB a day plans add photos, rides and the odd video call. Most trips are steady from day to day, so this is the usual pick.
- Unlimited suits heavy users, video calls and remote work from Goa or Bengaluru. A fair-use policy applies; the plan details say how.
See fixed, daily or unlimited for how each type behaves. Going on to Nepal, Sri Lanka or the Maldives? Check the global plans further down for one install across your route.
Why not a local SIM?
A visitor can buy an Indian SIM, but it takes your passport, your visa, a photo and often a local address or reference, and activation can take hours or more. An eSIM installed at home works when you land, so you can order a ride or message your hotel from the arrivals hall.
Landing in India
Most international flights arrive at Indira Gandhi airport in Delhi, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj airport in Mumbai or Kempegowda airport in Bengaluru. Turn on data roaming for the eSIM line once you are off the plane. Uber, Ola and Rapido run in the big cities, and the airports have prepaid taxi counters too.
Coverage across a huge country
Coverage is strong in the big cities, along the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, in Goa, Kerala and the main tourist towns of Rajasthan. It thins out in the Himalayas, in the deserts around Jaisalmer, on the backwaters away from the towns, in national parks and on long train journeys between cities. Download offline maps and save your tickets to the phone before you set out.
Kashmir, Ladakh and the Andamans
Mobile service for visitors has its own rules in Jammu and Kashmir and in Ladakh, and coverage in the Andaman Islands is limited. If your trip goes there, ask us at support@esimlounge.com before you buy, and plan for hotel Wi-Fi as a backup.
How much data do you need?
A typical traveler using maps, ride-hailing, messaging and photos uses about 1 GB a day. Video calls, streaming and working from a laptop push that up, so remote workers are better served by an unlimited plan.
Networks in India
India's mobile networks are Jio, the largest, Airtel, Vi (Vodafone Idea) and the state operator BSNL. A travel eSIM connects to one of them as a roaming partner, which is why data roaming must be on for the eSIM line. The partner network can differ from plan to plan, so check the plan details, or ask us at support@esimlounge.com before you buy.
How to install your eSIM
Install it at home before you fly, then switch it on when you land.
Check your phone
Your phone must support eSIM and be carrier unlocked. Most phones from the last few years do.
Scan the QR code
Scan the code from your email while you still have Wi-Fi at home. It takes about two minutes.
Switch on when you land
Turn on the eSIM line and data roaming for it. Keep your usual SIM for calls and texts if you like.
India eSIM questions
Is an eSIM cheaper than my own carrier's roaming in India?
Usually, yes. UK, US and Australian carriers typically charge a daily pass for each day you use your phone abroad, and over a week those passes add up to more than a plan here. Check your own plan's roaming terms to compare.
Can a tourist buy a SIM card in India?
Yes, but it takes paperwork: your passport, your visa, a photo and often a local address, and activation can take hours or more. A travel eSIM avoids that: you install it at home and it works when you land. It gives you data, not an Indian phone number.
Does it work in Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Goa?
Yes. Coverage is strong in the cities and the main tourist towns. It can drop in the mountains, the desert, national parks and on long train journeys, so download offline maps before you travel.
Does it work in Kashmir and Ladakh?
Mobile service for visitors follows its own rules there, so a roaming eSIM may not connect everywhere. Ask us at support@esimlounge.com before you buy, and plan for hotel Wi-Fi as a backup.
Can I use Uber, Ola and WhatsApp with it?
Yes. The eSIM gives you mobile data, so ride-hailing apps, WhatsApp, Google Maps and your banking apps work as they do at home. Calls on WhatsApp and FaceTime work over the data too.
Will I keep my phone number?
Yes. Your usual SIM stays in the phone for calls and texts, and the eSIM carries your mobile data. Keep data roaming off on your usual SIM to avoid roaming fees from home. Some Indian apps and bookings send a code by text, which still arrives on your usual number if it can roam.
When does the plan start counting days?
On most plans the days start when the eSIM first connects to a network in India, not when you install it. The plan details say how yours works.