India Travel eSIM
Airtel coverage from $9.50 — no shop visit, no passport photocopy, no 48-hour wait.
Plans & prices
Selected 1 GB · 7 days 3 GB · 30 days 5 GB · 30 days 10 GB · 30 days 20 GB · 30 days
Total $9.50$19$28.50$43.50$72
Buy now — the plan activates when you land, not when you pay.
- Instant delivery
- Check your device
- Secure payment
India
Airtel network
- 5G ready
- Hotspot
- Top-ups
- No ID needed
Coverage & network in India
India is the country where an eSIM saves you the most time. Buying a tourist SIM here means a passport photocopy, a photograph, a form, a verification call and a wait that can run into days. A TravelNet eSIM installed at home on Airtel is working before you reach the immigration desk.
Plans run from $9.50 for 1 GB over 7 days to $72 for 20 GB over 30 days. For a first three-week trip, 10 GB ($43.50) is the honest recommendation — India runs on apps, and you’ll use more than you think.
Coverage is better than most visitors expect. Airtel’s 5G reaches Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and most tier-2 cities; LTE reaches deep into rural India along the highway and rail corridors. The genuine gaps are the Himalayan valleys, parts of the northeast, and Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, where roaming service is restricted and should not be relied on.
What an eSIM can’t do here: UPI. India’s payment layer is bound to an Indian bank account and an Indian mobile number, so a data-only roaming line can’t set it up. Cards cover hotels, restaurants and ride-hailing; carry cash for everything smaller.
Also visiting the region? The Asia plan covers 29 destinations from $11.50, and there are country plans for Sri Lanka, Nepal and Thailand.
How to install it
- 1
Buy in a minute
Pick a India plan and pay. Your QR code arrives by email in seconds — no account, no shipping.
- 2
Install on Wi-Fi
Scan the code before you fly. The profile sits alongside your normal SIM and stays switched off until you need it.
- 3
Land connected
Turn on data roaming for the TravelNet line when you arrive. The plan starts counting down on that first connection, not at checkout.
Will my phone work?
You need an eSIM-capable, carrier-unlocked phone: an iPhone XS or newer, a Pixel 3 or
newer, or a recent Samsung Galaxy S, Z or A-series flagship. Dial *#06# — if
an EID number is listed alongside the IMEI, the phone has an eSIM.
Travelling beyond India?
One Asia plan covers 29 countries from $11.50 — worth it from the third border.
India eSIM questions
Which network does the India eSIM use?
Airtel, one of India's two dominant national networks. Its LTE and 5G coverage is among the best in the country, including the Golden Triangle, Kerala, Goa, Rajasthan and the major metros.
Why not just buy a local SIM at the airport?
You can, but it is the slowest part of arriving in India. A tourist SIM means a passport copy, a photo, a completed form, an in-person verification call and often a wait of several hours to a couple of days before data activates. An eSIM you installed at home is working before you clear immigration. This is the strongest single argument for an eSIM anywhere in the world.
Do I need KYC or passport verification for the eSIM?
No. India's KYC rules apply to locally issued SIMs. A TravelNet eSIM roams onto Airtel under a partner agreement, so there is no form, no photograph and no activation call.
Is 5G available in India?
Yes, and the rollout has been unusually fast — Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and most tier-2 cities have real 5G. Outside the cities you'll be on 4G/LTE, which is dense and cheap and covers far more of the country than visitors expect.
How much data do I need for two or three weeks in India?
5 GB ($28.50) is a reasonable baseline for a three-week trip if hotel Wi-Fi handles uploads. India is a heavy-app country though — Uber, Ola, Zomato, Swiggy, IRCTC, Google Maps, and constant WhatsApp — so 10 GB ($43.50) is the safer choice for a first visit or if you're hotspotting.
Will it work on trains and in rural areas?
Along most of the main rail corridors, yes, with dropouts in tunnels and through the ghats. Rural coverage in India is genuinely good compared with most countries at a similar income level — the gaps are in the Himalayan valleys, parts of the northeast and the deep desert.
Can I use UPI and pay by phone?
Not with a travel eSIM. UPI apps are tied to an Indian bank account and a registered Indian mobile number, so a data-only roaming line cannot set one up. Cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and larger shops in the cities, and cash still works everywhere. Uber and Ola take international cards in-app.
Does the eSIM work in Ladakh, Kashmir or the northeast?
Coverage in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh is restricted for locally issued prepaid SIMs, and roaming service in those regions can be limited or unavailable. Assume Leh and the Kashmir valley are unreliable and plan around offline maps. The rest of the northeast — Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim — is generally fine in the towns.
Can I keep my own number for OTPs?
Yes, and in India you'll want to. The eSIM is a data-only second line; your home number stays active to receive bank and airline one-time passcodes over SMS. Just turn data roaming off on the home line.
Can I tether a laptop?
Yes, hotspot is enabled on all India plans. Between 5G in the metros and cheap LTE elsewhere, tethering in India is unusually pleasant — just remember the allowance is shared.