DriftAsia Reference

India
mobile operators

Which operators power our eSIM plans for India, the local network to lean on, and what a tourist SIM costs on the ground.

The DriftAsia eSIM plans for India shown on this page use Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vi (Vodafone Idea) and offer 4G/5G depending on the plan. Check each plan for its exact network, data allowance, validity and price before choosing. Available plans are fully refundable within 30 days as long as the eSIM has not been used on a network at the destination.

Main operatorBharti Airtel
Reliance Jio
Local SIM$4-9
Operators in our plans3

Jio's 5G rollout is vast and cheap; rural pockets still 4G.

77 MSI83 NQI

Plan share by operator

Share of the eSIM plans we sell for India, by underlying operator.

Bharti Airtel: 46% (49 plans) Reliance Jio: 46% (49 plans) Vi (Vodafone Idea): 8% (9 plans) 3 OPERATORS
  • Bharti Airtel46%
  • Reliance Jio46%
  • Vi (Vodafone Idea)8%

Network at a glance

Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio is the network most travellers lean on in India. 5G is live on at least one operator we carry, so newer phones can reach top speeds in covered areas. On our Mobile Speed Index it scores 77, placing it among the stronger networks in the region. Median data price has risen from $0.59 per GB in April 2026 to $3.21 in August 2026.

The operators behind our plans

Each network we carry in India, with who runs it and what generation it reaches.

Bharti Airtel#2
Owner
Bharti Enterprises
Network
5G/4G
5G
5G since October 2022
Plans we carry
49
Reliance Jio#1
Owner
Reliance Industries
Network
5G/4G
5G
5G since October 2022
Plans we carry
49
Vi (Vodafone Idea)#3
Owner
Vodafone Group + Aditya Birla Group
Network
4G
5G
5G since March 2025
Plans we carry
9

Common questions

Which operator is best in India?

Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio offers the widest reach for most travellers. Jio's 5G rollout is vast and cheap; rural pockets still 4G. Our eSIM plans run on the strongest available network, so you do not have to choose a SIM at the counter.

Does India have 5G?

Yes. At least one operator we carry runs 5G, available mainly in larger cities and along major corridors. Older devices fall back to 4G automatically.

How much is a local SIM in India?

A tourist SIM bought on arrival typically runs $4-9. An eSIM skips the queue and the passport scan, and activates by QR code before you land.

How many operators power India eSIM plans?

We carry plans across 3 operators in India. The donut above shows how our catalogue splits between them.

How we read this

Plan share counts how many of the eSIM plans we sell for India run on each operator. It reflects catalogue depth, not subscriber market share. The top operator is the network we would hand a traveller who can pick only one.