IoT connectivity in India
Updated
In India, permanent roaming of foreign IoT SIMs is not allowed. Of the 3 mobile operators we track there, 0 have switched off 2G and 1 3G, as of 26 October 2026. Sources are listed below each table.
Permanent roaming
Not allowed. Regulatory analysts report that India prohibits permanent roaming for IoT/M2M; DoT's 2025 M2M eSIM instructions bind providers to government instructions on roaming of foreign M2M SIMs, and TRAI recommended in 2024 converting foreign eSIM profiles to Indian ones within six months.
Sources: cullen-international.com, dot.gov.in, khaitanco.com. Confidence: medium.
2G and 3G shutdowns by operator
| Operator | Network | Status | Date | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bharti Airtel | 2G | No plan announced | none | tele.net.in Airtel said it would keep 2G for feature-phone users while closing 3G. No 2G end date found; source is from 2019, no newer statement found. |
| Bharti Airtel | 3G | Switched off | 2020 | tele.net.in, korewireless.com Circle-by-circle shutdown: 11 of 22 circles done by Feb 2020, all targeted by Mar 2020 with 2100 MHz refarmed to 4G. Kore (May 2026) marks the shutdown finished and lists 30 Sep 2020; no Airtel completion release found. |
| BSNL | 2G | No plan announced | none | telecomtalk.info When switching 3G sites to 4G (Madurai example), BSNL said the remaining sites keep serving 2G and the 2G network stays intact. No 2G end date found; source is old and local. |
| BSNL | 3G | Planned | none | patnapress.com, telecomtalk.info Regional phase-out in progress, no national end date found: BSNL switches off 3G where it deploys 4G (since 2019); in Bihar 3G data was to stop from 15 Jan 2025 with full move to 4G targeted by March 2025. Date left empty as no nationwide date was found. Kore lists 31 Dec 2024; emnify lists a planned closure without date. |
| Vodafone Idea (Vi) | 2G | No plan announced | none | telecomtalk.info, voicendata.com Vi continues 2G and has not said anything about shutting it (Jan 2024); it opposes a mandated sunset, citing feature-phone users and IoT (ATMs, smart meters, PoS). |
| Vodafone Idea (Vi) | 3G | Planned | 2025 | telecomtalk.info, voicendata.com Phased by circle: 3G off in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Mumbai, Kolkata and Andhra Pradesh by Jan 2024; full shutdown targeted in FY25 (Apr 2024 - Mar 2025). Earlier 2022 target slipped. Date passed without confirmation found. Kore (May 2026) still lists the Vi 3G shutdown as in progress. |
What it means for IoT devices in India
- 2G still runs on some networks, but plan new devices on 4G-based technologies (LTE Cat-1bis, LTE-M or NB-IoT where available): 2G is being closed across the region.
- 3G is already gone on 1 network: devices that fall back to 3G will lose service there.
- Plan a local profile: foreign SIMs cannot stay indefinitely. An eSIM able to download a local profile, or a local SIM, avoids being cut off.
- Private delivery works the same from India: device data reaches your cloud over private links. See private delivery.
Other countries in Asia-Pacific
Full tables: permanent roaming rules by country and 2G and 3G shutdown dates.
Frequently asked questions
Is permanent roaming allowed for IoT SIMs in India?
Regulatory analysts report that India prohibits permanent roaming for IoT/M2M; DoT's 2025 M2M eSIM instructions bind providers to government instructions on roaming of foreign M2M SIMs, and TRAI recommended in 2024 converting foreign eSIM profiles to Indian ones within six months.
When is 2G switched off in India?
Status by operator, as of 26 October 2026. BSNL: no shutdown plan announced; Bharti Airtel: no shutdown plan announced; Vodafone Idea (Vi): no shutdown plan announced.
When is 3G switched off in India?
Status by operator, as of 26 October 2026. BSNL: planned; Bharti Airtel: switched off (2020); Vodafone Idea (Vi): planned for 2025.