India SIM card for tourists 2026: airport or eSIM?
Where to buy a SIM card in India, what the counter asks for, coverage in Delhi, and when an eSIM installed before you fly is the better buy.
Short answer: A tourist SIM card in India is bought at a counter after you land in Delhi; a ONE eSIM plan for India is installed at home on Wi-Fi, works the moment you land and leaves your own SIM and number in place. Both work in every city in this guide.
Landing in Delhi and wondering whether to queue for a SIM card? This is how buying one works in India in 2026, what the counter will ask you for, and when an eSIM bought before you fly is the better deal.
Where to buy a SIM card in India
Airtel, Jio and Vi sell SIM cards to visitors from counters at the Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru international arrivals, and in their own shops. The counter needs your passport and visa, a passport photo, and an address and contact in India. Activation is checked by the operator and can take from a few hours to a day.
Tourist SIM card or travel eSIM?
| SIM card in India | ONE eSIM Our price | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you get it | Airport counter or a shop | On this site, in a minute |
| When it works | After the counter and the swap | The moment you land |
| Your home number | Out of the phone | Stays in for calls and texts |
| Paperwork | Often a passport and a form | None |
| Validity | Sized by the month | From one day; top up when you need |
| If it fails | Back to the shop | Refunded in full before installation |
An eSIM is a plan downloaded onto a phone that supports it, which is every iPhone since the XS and most Android flagships since 2020. You install it on Wi-Fi at home, keep the line switched off, and turn it on when the plane lands in Delhi. The plan starts the first time it connects, not when you buy it.
Coverage in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru and beyond
Both a local SIM and a travel eSIM run on the same networks in India, so coverage is about the operator, not the kind of SIM. Our plans name their operator and whether it runs 3G, 4G or 5G; each plan card shows its best generation. In Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Goa and Jaipur you will have a full signal from any of them.
FAQ: SIM cards and eSIMs in India
- What do I need to buy a SIM card in India as a tourist? Your passport and visa, a passport photo, and a local address and reference, often your hotel. Without them a counter cannot sell you a SIM.
- How long does an Indian SIM card take to activate? Hours to a day, while the operator checks the paperwork. A travel eSIM is working when you land.
Before you fly
- Check your phone supports eSIM and is not carrier-locked (our device page lists every model).
- Buy the plan a few days before the trip and install it on home Wi-Fi; the QR code arrives by email in minutes.
- Keep the travel line off until you land, then turn it on with data roaming enabled for that line only.
- Leave your home SIM in for calls and texts; set the eSIM as the mobile data line.
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