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ESIM GUIDE

Best eSIM for India for Canadian travellers

A week of roaming with Rogers or Telus in India costs about $126. A travel eSIM covering the same week starts around US$13. Here's what the plans cost, what's different about staying connected in India, and how to set it up before you fly.

By the Viorvo team · Checked

Our pick for a week in India

Simple one-week planAiralo 5 GB for 7 days · US$13.00A week of roaming with Rogers or Telus costs about $126. Install the eSIM at home before you fly.
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Roaming vs eSIM for a week in India

Roaming, 7 days$1267 × $18 international (Rogers/Telus); Bell 7 × $16 = $112. CAD before tax.
Travel eSIM, 7 daysUS$13Airalo Indicomm 5 GB / 7 days

Daily rates from MobileSyrup (March 2026): Rogers and Telus $16 a day in the US and $18 internationally, Bell $13 and $16. This country is billed at the international rate.

Compare plans

eSIM plans for India

PlanDataPriceNetwork
AiraloIndicomm 1 GB1 GB3 daysUS$4.00Vi IndiaView ↗
YesimIndia 5 GB5 GB30 daysUS$12.845GView ↗
AiraloOur pickIndicomm 5 GB5 GB7 daysUS$13.00Vi IndiaView ↗
AiraloIndicomm 10 GB10 GB30 daysUS$24.00Vi IndiaView ↗
YesimIndia UnlimitedUnlimited (fair use)7 daysUS$32.695GView ↗

Prices in US dollars as shown on esimdb.com on September 30, 2026. esimdb also lists new-user promo codes, so the price at checkout can differ slightly. Plans are data-only unless the provider says otherwise. Viorvo may earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.

What to know about staying connected in India

  • To buy a local SIM in India you need your passport, Indian visa, a photo and proof of address such as a hotel booking.
  • Local SIMs for tourists aren't instant: activation usually takes 2 to 24 hours after your documents are checked.
  • Tourist SIMs are sold at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru airports; airport packs with about 1.5 GB a day plus calls cost up to about US$10.
  • Indian tourist SIMs are valid for at most 90 days from activation.
  • A travel eSIM is set up before you leave and roams on Indian networks, so it skips local KYC paperwork. Airalo's India eSIM uses Vi (Vodafone Idea).

How to set up your eSIM

Do this at home on Wi-Fi, a day or two before you fly, so you land connected.

  • To check if your iPhone is unlocked, go to Settings > General > About. If Carrier Lock says 'No SIM restrictions', it's unlocked. Only your carrier can unlock it.
  • An iPhone can store eight or more eSIMs. To add one from a QR code, scan it with the Camera app, tap 'Cellular Plan Detected', then tap Add Cellular Plan.
  • On arrival, choose which line your iPhone uses for data in Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data. If your home line stays on, you might still be charged roaming fees by your home carrier.
  • Data Roaming on iPhone is under Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options. It lets you use data on networks outside your carrier's coverage.
  • On Samsung Galaxy phones, add an eSIM in Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM, by QR code or activation code. Even listed models may not support eSIM depending on country of origin.
  • Pixel 7 and later can use two eSIM profiles at once. Google suggests using a prepaid international eSIM and activating it when you arrive to avoid roaming charges.
Plan the rest

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Getting there

Cheapest flights from Canada

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Questions

Common questions

How much does roaming cost in India with a Canadian phone plan?

Rogers and Telus charge $18 a day and Bell $16 a day for their daily roaming add-on in India (CAD, before tax, as of March 2026). A 7-day trip comes to about $126 with Rogers or Telus.

How much is an eSIM for India?

The cheapest plan we found was Airalo 1 GB for 3 days at US$4.00. For a typical week, Airalo Indicomm 5 GB / 7 days costs US$13 (prices checked September 30, 2026).

Will a travel eSIM give me a local phone number?

Usually not. Most travel eSIMs from Airalo and Yesim are data-only. Apps like WhatsApp still work over data, and you can keep your Canadian line switched on for texts, but calls or data on your Canadian line can trigger your carrier's daily fee.

Sources

Checked September 30, 2026. Prices, rules and fees change, so confirm before you travel.

eSIM for Indiafrom US$4 ↗