For a lot of our readers, India is not a holiday. It is the overnight flight from Muscat, Dubai or Doha to Kochi, Hyderabad or Delhi, a suitcase full of gifts, and two or three weeks of weddings, relatives and home-cooked food. For others it is the Taj Mahal at sunrise, a houseboat in Alleppey, or chai on the ghats in Varanasi. Either way, a travel eSIM gives you Indian network data the moment you land, while your Gulf SIM stays right where it is.
Keep your Gulf number, add Indian data
If you live in the Gulf, your local number is your lifeline: the bank's verification messages, your employer, your building manager. Taking that SIM out for a month is a headache. With an eSIM, both live in the phone together. Your Gulf line stays on for calls, and the eSIM quietly carries the data for WhatsApp, maps and video calls back to colleagues.
Just remember to switch Data Roaming off on your Gulf SIM, so it does not quietly run up a roaming bill while you are at your sister's house.
Who's carrying your signal
Our India plans run on AirTel, one of the country's largest operators. Coverage is strong across big cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi, and along the main highways. In a village in the hills, a backwater stretch in Kerala or a long rail journey across the plains, signal can thin out — as it does for every network in a country this size.
How much data does a visit home need?
A one-week trip — maps, ride apps, messages, a few photos — fits comfortably in 1GB to 3GB. The 1GB, 7-day plan is $4, good for a quick business trip or a stopover. For most family visits, the 3GB, 30-day plan at $8.50 covers the whole stay, since you will probably be on the family's home Wi-Fi in the evenings.
If you plan to video call the Gulf every night, work remotely between family functions, or share a hotspot with the kids on a long road trip, step up to 10GB for 30 days at $26.50.
Install in the Gulf, switch on at the gate
Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi before you fly. Your plan's days only start counting when the eSIM first connects to a network in India, so installing a few days early costs you nothing.
When you land, turn the travel line on, set Mobile Data to it, and switch Data Roaming off on your home SIM. By the time you are at the baggage belt, the family group chat already knows you have arrived.
Boarding passes for India
Live prices in USD, all fees included.
IN · Nationwide
1GB
7 days · best entry price
$4.00
IN · Nationwide
2GB
15 days
$7.50
IN · Nationwide
3GB
15 days
$8.00
IN · Nationwide
3GB
30 days
$8.50
IN · Nationwide
5GB
30 days
$13.50
IN · Nationwide
10GB
30 days
$26.50
Quick answers
Can I keep my Gulf SIM active while using the India eSIM?
Yes. Both work side by side. Use your Gulf SIM for calls and the eSIM for data, and turn Data Roaming off on the Gulf line.
Does the India eSIM give me an Indian number?
No. It is a data-only plan with no local number and no regular calls.
Will it work in my home village?
It runs on AirTel. Cities and main roads are well covered; in rural and hilly areas signal can be weaker or patchy.
When do the 30 days start?
When the eSIM first connects to a network in India, not when you buy it.
New to eSIM? Read the installation guide and check your phone on the compatibility page.