India phone code +91: mobile format & how to dial

Key facts

International code+91

International format+91 XXXXX XXXXXe.g. +91 98123 45678

Mobile prefixesXXXXX XXXXXe.g. 98123 45678

Mobile length10 digits

Landline format0XXXX XXXXXX

Domestic trunk0

How to read a number

+919812345678

+91Country code: India.
98Start of the mobile number: Indian mobile numbers are always 10 digits and start with 6, 7, 8 or 9 — a number starting 2-5 is a landline, not a mobile. Written nationally as 098…; that leading 0 is the national trunk prefix and is dropped when dialling from abroad.
12345678Remaining 8 digits: Number blocks are allocated to operators per Licensed Service Area, but porting is very common in India, so these digits do not tell you which operator the SIM is on now.

Written nationally as 098123 45678 or 98123 45678. Indians usually read numbers out in two groups of five.

This section checked 2026-09-17. Sources: trai.gov.in/faqcategory/mobile-number-portability · dot.gov.in/national-numbering-plan-list

Number ranges & quality

Range	Type	Notes
`Starts with 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 (10 digits)`	Mobile carrier	Indian mobile numbers are 10 digits.

Intl SMSStable

Virtual-number riskHigh

ID requiredMandatory registration; foreigners use a passport plus a valid visa, and a foreign national’s number is valid only until the visa expires (Airtel).

Indian numbers are on the supported list of both AI platforms and Gemini, but real-name rules and anti-virtual-number enforcement are both strict, so second-hand or virtual numbers have a low success rate. TikTok has been fully banned in India since 2020, so Indian numbers cannot register it.

Carriers & prefixes

Mobile prefixes by carrier.

Number portability applies — a prefix only shows the original carrier. TRAI porting rules: you must have been active on your current operator for more than 90 days before you can get a porting code; the porting fee is capped at ₹6.46; porting takes 3 working days within a Licensed Service Area (LSA), 5 working days between LSAs, and up to 15 working days in Jammu & Kashmir, Assam and the North East. The 22 LSAs are grouped into 2 porting zones, and porting across zones works too. So Indian number ranges only tell you who originally issued a number — after a port you cannot tell the current operator from the digits. That is why this site does not publish a "which range belongs to which operator" table for India: it would mislead.

Jio Mobile carrier

Owned by Reliance Jio Infocomm. Around 39.3% of wireless subscribers (TRAI subscription report, July 2026), the largest operator. Worth knowing: Jio runs a 4G/5G-only network — its own help pages state the device must be compatible with Jio’s 4G VoLTE or LTE network, so an older handset without VoLTE cannot make calls on a Jio SIM.
Airtel Mobile carrier

Owned by Bharti Airtel. Around 38.0% of wireless subscribers (same TRAI report) — essentially level with Jio, and it added more subscribers than Jio in July 2026.
Vi Mobile carrier

Owned by Vodafone Idea, formed in 2018 by the merger of Vodafone India and Idea. Clearly behind the top two in both market share and network investment.
BSNL Mobile carrier

State-owned, under the Department of Telecommunications. The smallest of the four, but it still covers remote areas the others skip. Delhi and Mumbai were MTNL territory; MTNL’s mobile network has been handed to BSNL to run, so those two cities are effectively served by BSNL as well.

This section checked 2026-09-17. Sources: trai.gov.in/faqcategory/mobile-number-portability · www.trai.gov.in/release-publication/reports/telecom-subscriptions-reports · www.jio.com/help/faq/mobile/services/hd-voice/do-i-need-to-make-changes-in-the-device-settings-for-enabling-volte/ · www.airtel.in/ · www.myvi.in/ · www.bsnl.co.in/

SIM cards & keeping a number

Prepaid deactivation in India is set by the regulator TRAI (Telecom Consumers Protection Regulations, consolidated 2025): • Reg. 11: a prepaid connection can’t be deactivated for non-usage for at least 90 days; • Reg. 12: it can’t be deactivated while the balance exceeds ₹20 — the operator may deduct up to ₹20 to extend the period by 30 days, repeating until the balance runs out; • Reg. 14: after deactivation the number isn’t reassigned for at least 15 days, during which it can be restored for up to ₹20. “Usage” includes making or receiving calls, sending SMS and data — receiving SMS alone doesn’t count. In January 2025 TRAI called the viral “new ₹20 for 90 days rule” misleading: the rule is over 11 years old.

Numbers held by foreigners aren’t suited to long-term keeping: Airtel states that a foreign national’s number is valid only until their visa expires.

Airtel / Jio prepaid for foreigners

Travel SIM

Network: Airtel / Jio own networks (MNOs)
Price: Plan-based, commonly in 28-day cycles — check official prices
Keeping the number: Airtel: a foreign national’s number is valid until the visa expires. Indian residents’ numbers follow TRAI rules: 90 days of non-usage, ₹20 deducted per 30-day extension while balance lasts, 15-day restoration window after deactivation
ID check: A passport is an accepted proof of identity (Jio FAQ) and foreigners also need a valid visa; third-party guides say some stores also want an Indian address (e.g. hotel booking) and a local reference — check in store
SMS & calls: A normal Indian number. Jio FAQ: all incoming SMS are free on international roaming

Pros

Incoming SMS free on Jio international roaming (official)
Deactivation rules set clearly by TRAI

Watch out

Foreign nationals’ numbers end with the visa (Airtel)
Receiving SMS alone doesn’t count as usage, so incoming codes won’t prevent deactivation
Neither operator’s site fully lists the documents foreigners need

Where to buy: airtel.in

Sources: trai.gov.in/sites/default/files/2025-03/CR_TCPR_28032025.pdf · telecomtalk.info/trai-clarifies-sim-card-rules-claims-media/988432 · www.airtel.in/mobile-connection-to-foreign-national-and-tourist · www.jio.com/help/faq/mobile/international-services/prepaid-ir-pack-pricing/will-i-be-charged-for-incoming-messages-while-on-international-roaming-ir-under-jio-prepaid-packs · www.jio.com/help/faq/mobile/prepaid-offerings/plans/what-documents-do-i-need-to-carry-to-get-a-jio-sim-for-jio-prepaid-plans · indiasomeday.com/en/how-to-get-a-local-sim-card-in-india-for-foreigners

From user and blogger reports; platform risk rules change often — treat as a guide only. This section checked 2026-09-15.

Sign-up availability

What to expect when signing up for these services with a physical SIM from this country:

ChatGPT Works

Claude Works

WhatsApp Works

Telegram Works

LINE Works

WeChat Works

X Works

TikTok Not supported

Gemini Works

Jump to another country

Calling India from abroad

Dial +91, then the local number. Drop the leading trunk prefix 0.

Generate the full number →

Dialing within India

For domestic long distance dial 0 first, then the area code. Local calls and mobiles: dial directly.

Elsewhere in Asia

Community tips

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Common premise & disclaimer

Applies to every platform: VoIP / virtual numbers and heavily-reused number pools get rejected. Physical SIM only.

Checked 2026-09-12. Platform region policies and number-range allocations change — always confirm against each platform’s official supported-regions list and the carrier’s notices.

Sources：help.openai.com/articles/7947663 · www.anthropic.com/supported-countries · www.mappr.co/tiktok-bans-by-country/

India +91