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India mobile recharge · Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL

Keep your Indian number active while you're abroad

Studying or working in the UK, Canada, the US, the Gulf or Australia? A small top-up keeps your Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL prepaid line alive, so bank and UPI OTPs, Aadhaar-linked services, WhatsApp verification and calls from family keep working, and the number is not recycled while you are away.

  • ✓ Recharges from ₹100, delivered in about a minute
  • ✓ Pay in rupees, pounds, dollars or euros: card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, UPI in India, bank in the UK
  • ✓ Email receipt with the operator's transaction ID
  • ✓ Your own number, your own line: nothing to install
Airtel: Airtel discontinues a prepaid SIM after 90 days in a row with no usage, meaning no calls, outgoing SMS or data. source
Jio: Under TRAI's Telecom Consumers Protection (Sixth Amendment) Regulations, 2013, which bind Jio and every Indian operator, a prepaid connection cannot be deactivated for any period of non-usage shorter than 90 days, is not deactivated at all while the balance is ₹20 or more, and after deactivation the same number can be reactivated within 15 days. Any incoming or outgoing call, outgoing SMS or data use counts as usage. source
Vi: Under TRAI's Telecom Consumers Protection (Sixth Amendment) Regulations, 2013, which bind Vi and every Indian operator, a prepaid connection cannot be deactivated for any period of non-usage shorter than 90 days, is not deactivated while the balance is ₹20 or more, and after deactivation the same number can be reactivated within 15 days. A recharge or an international roaming pack bought while abroad counts as activity and keeps the line registered. source
Operators change their rules; the links go to the operator's own page.
Pay in your currency. The price you see is the price you pay.
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Questions

How long can an Airtel prepaid number go without use?

Airtel discontinues a prepaid SIM after 90 days in a row with no usage, meaning no calls, outgoing SMS or data. Keeping a small balance on the line before you fly, and topping up during a long trip, avoids losing the number.

How long can a Jio prepaid number stay unused before it is deactivated?

Under TRAI's Telecom Consumers Protection (Sixth Amendment) Regulations, 2013, which bind Jio and every Indian operator, a prepaid connection cannot be deactivated for any period of non-usage shorter than 90 days, is not deactivated at all while the balance is ₹20 or more, and after deactivation the same number can be reactivated within 15 days. Any incoming or outgoing call, outgoing SMS or data use counts as usage. Keeping a small balance on the line before you fly, and topping up during a long trip, avoids losing the number.

How long does a Vi prepaid number stay active without a recharge?

Under TRAI's Telecom Consumers Protection (Sixth Amendment) Regulations, 2013, which bind Vi and every Indian operator, a prepaid connection cannot be deactivated for any period of non-usage shorter than 90 days, is not deactivated while the balance is ₹20 or more, and after deactivation the same number can be reactivated within 15 days. A recharge or an international roaming pack bought while abroad counts as activity and keeps the line registered. Keeping a small balance on the line before you fly, and topping up during a long trip, avoids losing the number.

Do I need the SIM in a phone?

No. The recharge lands on the line whether or not the SIM is in a phone. For OTPs and calls you do need it in a phone with roaming on, or in the second slot of your travel phone.

How fast is it?

About a minute from payment. You get an email receipt with the operator transaction ID.

Can I pay from India or the UK?

Yes. Pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay from anywhere, by UPI in rupees if you are in India, or from your bank in pounds if you are in the UK. Prices are shown in your currency.

Can you top up my number every month?

Set a reminder for the validity date, or keep a Slashtel Balance so the next recharge is one tap.

Sending credit to someone in India instead? Use the full India recharge page. Keeping another number alive: UAE · Philippine · Saudi · Qatar · Kenyan · Pakistani · Bangladeshi · Nepali · Sri Lankan · Egyptian · Ghanaian · Moroccan · Jordanian · Nigerian · what it costs by country.