eSIM

A digital SIM activated by QR code — no physical SIM card, works on iPhone XS+ and most modern Androids.

An eSIM is a digital SIM card that's downloaded to your phone via a QR code. Your existing physical SIM stays in the phone; the eSIM gets a separate data plan. You activate the foreign eSIM before you board and it auto-connects when you land.

No queue at airport / city kiosk
No worry about losing your Indian SIM (it stays in your phone)
Cheaper than international roaming on Jio/Airtel (₹500/day) for trips >5 days
WhatsApp/Google Maps/Uber work the moment you land

**Airalo** — ₹600–1,200 for 3–5 GB depending on country; covers 200+ countries
**Holafly** — ₹1,500–2,500; unlimited data; better for heavy users / video uploaders
**Nomad / Maya** — ₹500–800; smaller data buckets; cheapest for light users

Jio iPlan ₹399/day — ₹2,800 for 7 days (often slow data, throttled after 1GB)
Airtel Voice + Data ₹350–600/day — ₹4,200 for 7 days
Vi i-Roam Free ₹500/day — same range

eSIM wins on price and speed in nearly every country. Exception: Mainland China — eSIM works but Google/WhatsApp are blocked; you need a VPN regardless.