eSIM for India. eSIM for India: Reliance Jio and Airtel coverage, what a local SIM really costs, and how to keep your own number live in Delhi. No roaming bill.
India is served by Reliance Jio, Airtel, Vi (Vodafone Idea). Jio and Airtel both run extensive LTE and expanding 5G across the metros, Goa and the tourist circuit. Coverage in Himachal, Ladakh and the northeast is patchier and Airtel generally reaches further.
Tourist SIM activation requires your passport, your visa, a local reference in some cases, a photograph and a KYC verification step. Activation is not instant, and travelers regularly land in Delhi and spend their first day without a working line.
The gap between buying an Indian SIM and it actually working is the problem. Verification can take hours, sometimes into the next day, and it happens exactly when you most need a phone: arranging an airport transfer, confirming a hotel, calling a driver.
India is at the top of every carrier roaming tier. UK and EU bundles exclude it, and out-of-bundle data rates are among the highest anywhere, which is a strange thing to pay in the country with the cheapest domestic data on earth.
The alternative to both: Ringo is a global eSIM subscription that ports your existing phone number, so calls, SMS and two-factor codes keep working in India and 180+ other countries on one flat monthly plan.
Plan on several hours and be prepared for longer. KYC verification is a real process with a verification call in some cases, and it is not something you complete in the arrivals hall in ten minutes. Arriving with a line that already works avoids the whole problem.
Jio has the widest LTE footprint and the most aggressive 5G rollout in the cities. Airtel tends to be more reliable in the hill states and the northeast. For a traveler on the standard circuit, either is fine.
Yes, and it needs to be an Indian number linked to an Indian bank account, which is out of reach for a short-stay visitor. Ride-hailing and food delivery work with international numbers on most apps, so keeping your own number live is the practical route.
Ringo Light India data eSIM, on sale now: 10 GB, 30 days €29.99; 20 GB, 30 days €59.99; Unlimited, 3 days €12.99; Unlimited, 7 days €26.99; Unlimited, 30 days €89.99. Works across India. 10 or 20 GB of data for 30 days at full speed with no daily cap, one payment. Unlimited data (fair use policy applies) for 3, 7 or 30 days. Installed once, next to your own SIM and number.
Every region and country on sale
Loading the full Ringo experience…