India +91
To call India from abroad, dial your exit code (or +), then 91, then the local number without its leading 0. In full: +91 81234 56789.
The country calling code for India is +91. A number starting +91 or 0091 is a call to or from India. From abroad: +91 81234 56789.
To call India from abroad, dial your exit code (or +), then 91, then the local number without its leading 0. The +91 code identifies the country; the following digits identify the line (landline or mobile).
How to call India from abroad
011 91 81234 5678900 91 81234 567890011 91 81234 56789+91 81234 5678981234 56789 is a real-format India mobile number (example from the ITU-T numbering plan): replace it with the number you were given, without its leading 0.
India area codes
When calling a landline in India, dial the city area code after +91 (without its leading 0):
| City | Area code | Full dial |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi | 11 | +91 11 … |
| Mumbai | 22 | +91 22 … |
| Bangalore | 80 | +91 80 … |
| Chennai | 44 | +91 44 … |
| Kolkata | 33 | +91 33 … |
| Hyderabad | 40 | +91 40 … |
Number format
74104 10123from abroad+91 74104 1012381234 56789from abroad+91 81234 56789Landline numbers in India have 10 digits after the country code; mobile numbers have 10 digits. The national prefix 0 is only dialled inside the country — drop it after +91.
Calling abroad from India
To call another country from India, dial the exit code 00 (or + on a mobile), then the country code, then the number. From India to the United States, for example: 00 1 201 555 0123.
A India number in international format is written +91 …. The + stands for the exit prefix (00 in much of the world, 011 in North America). Switching to international format, drop the leading 0.
Cheapest ways to call India
With internet on both ends, apps like WhatsApp, Signal or FaceTime call India for free. To reach a number without an app, VoIP services are usually cheaper than your operator’s international rate.
Frequently asked questions
What country has the code +91?
India has the country calling code +91.
How do I call India from the United States?
Dial 011, then 91, then the local number without its leading 0 — for example 011 81234 56789.
What does +91 mean?
It is the international dialing code for India. The + stands for your exit code (00 in much of the world, 011 in North America).
Is +91 mobile or landline?
The +91 code identifies the country, not the line type; India landlines and mobiles share it.
A country code covers a whole nation; the full number depends on the city and operator.
Mobile networks in India
5 mobile network operators run their own networks in India. The largest is Jio, with about 472 million subscribers. Pick the one with the best coverage where you will spend most of your time.
Owned by Jio Platforms
Owned by Bharti Airtel
Owned by Government Of India (49%)Vodafone Group Plc (16%)Aditya Birla Group (9.6%)Free Float (25.4%)
Owned by Government of India
Areas: Mumbai, Delhi
Owned by Government of India Subsidiary of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited
- 3G has been switched off on Airtel. A phone that only works on 3G will get no data there and may not be able to call: check that yours supports 4G with voice (VoLTE) before you go.
- 4G/5G frequency bands used in India: 5G 3500, LTE 1800, LTE 2100, LTE 850, LTE 900. Most recent smartphones cover them; older or regional models may miss some.
- Moving there? Mobile number portability has existed since 2011-01-20, a transfer takes about 3 day(s) and costs ₹6.46 (if requested by operator).
Operators, subscriber counts, network codes and switch-off dates: Wikipedia (lists of mobile network operators, mobile network codes, 2G/3G phase-out, mobile number portability), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Figures come from each operator or regulator at the date shown.
Getting a SIM card in India
What visitors and new residents need to know before buying a local SIM or eSIM in India, with a source for each point.
Buying a SIM as a visitor
KYC verification is mandatory for every prepaid and postpaid connection. For foreign tourists, a copy of the passport with a valid visa is the proof of identity, and the address of a local reference (which may be the tour operator) or of the place of stay (hotel) is the proof of address; a foreigner's connection cannot be valid beyond the visa and, for tourists, not more than 3 months at a time (DoT instructions of 9 Aug 2012). An individual can hold at most 9 mobile connections across all operators (6 in J&K, Assam and the North-Eastern states).
Source: web.archive.org · sancharsaathi.gov.in
Getting a monthly contract as a resident
The same DoT verification rules cover prepaid and postpaid connections: a foreign national needs a passport with a valid visa, and a connection working beyond the validity of the visa/stay permit must be disconnected. Operator-specific postpaid conditions (deposit, Indian address proof, PAN, credit check) were not verified.
Source: web.archive.org
Scam calls and texts
Suspected fraud calls, SMS or WhatsApp messages can be reported through the DoT 'Chakshu' facility on Sanchar Saathi (sancharsaathi.gov.in or the Sanchar Saathi app); financial cyber fraud is reported on the 1930 helpline or cybercrime.gov.in. The national Do-Not-Disturb register (NCPR) is managed by TRAI: register by calling or sending an SMS to 1909 or via the TRAI DND app, and complain about unsolicited commercial communication to 1909 within 3 days.
Source: trai.gov.in · pib.gov.in · pib.gov.in
Emergency numbers
112 is the single nationwide emergency number (Emergency Response Support System), integrating police (100), fire (101), health/ambulance (108) and the women helpline.
Source: 112.gov.in
Checked on 28 September 2026 against the sources linked on each card (regulators, government portals and operators first). SIM and ID rules change often: confirm with the operator before you travel.
Staying connected in India
With 79 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, mobile coverage in India is not universal — keep a landline number as a backup when you can. Only 70 % of people use the internet, so a plain phone call may reach more people than an app.
Source: World Bank / ITU World Telecommunication indicators (IT.CEL.SETS.P2, IT.NET.USER.ZS, IT.MLT.MAIN.P2), latest available year.
Free and premium numbers in India
+91 1800 12 3456Free from inside India (numbers starting with 000800). From abroad these numbers are often unreachable or charged at the international rate.
+91 1861 123 456 789Surcharged services — ranges starting with 1861 / 1862. Do not call back an unknown missed call from such a range: the cost is far above a normal call.
Number ranges: ITU-T national numbering plan for India via Google libphonenumber.
China +86
Nepal +977
Myanmar +95
Bhutan +975
Pakistan +92
Bangladesh +880