Can I use a foreign IoT SIM in India permanently?

No. TRAI prohibits permanent roaming for foreign-issued IoT SIMs. Any foreign SIM must be converted to a locally registered Indian IMSI within 6 months. Multi-IMSI eSIM with a pre-loaded Indian operator profile (Airtel or Jio) is the standard solution —the Indian IMSI activates on deployment and the foreign IMSI is disabled after 6 months.

Jio or Airtel —which is better for NB-IoT in India?

Jio currently has the more reliable NB-IoT network, confirmed working across 7-8 states with standard IP mode (not limited to NIDD). Airtel dominates enterprise M2M (54% market share) and is stronger for LTE-M and 4G M2M deployments with SLA support. For pure NB-IoT sensor deployments, test with Jio first. For enterprise-grade M2M with private APN, Airtel Business is the safer choice.

Do I need to register as an M2MSP to deploy IoT devices in India?

If you are providing connectivity services (not just hardware), yes —M2M Service Provider registration with the DoT is mandatory. If you are deploying devices that connect through an Indian carrier's SIM, the carrier or your M2MSP partner handles the registration. If you are manufacturing export-only devices, the new Dec 2025 framework provides a lighter authorization path (Rs 5,000, 10-year validity).

India IoT SIM Deployment Guide: TRAI M2M Rules, Jio NB-IoT vs Airtel LTE-M, and the 6-Month Foreign SIM Clock

June 2, 2026 · 10 min read · Regional Info

74 million M2M connections. One carrier controls 54%. TRAI gives foreign SIMs 6 months, then mandates local IMSI conversion. Jio leads NB-IoT in 7-8 states but Airtel owns enterprise M2M. This is the deployment math for India —not the spec sheet, the reality.

TL;DR: India is the world's second-largest IoT market with 74 million M2M connections and a regulatory framework that is actively evolving. TRAI prohibits permanent roaming for foreign IoT SIMs —any foreign profile must convert to a locally registered Indian IMSI within 6 months. M2M Service Providers must register with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). Jio leads on NB-IoT reliability across 7-8 states; Airtel dominates the enterprise M2M market with 54% share. The Dec 2025 TRAI framework now permits foreign SIMs in export-only devices under a light-touch Rs 5,000 authorization —but domestic deployments still require local profiles. The compliance path leads through M2MSP registration, carrier selection (Jio for NB-IoT, Airtel for enterprise M2M), and a project-pricing trigger at roughly 1,000 devices across 3+ states.

India's IoT Market: Scale and Structure

India's M2M subscriber base grew from 56 million (October 2024) to 74 million (May 2025) —a 32% increase in seven months. Airtel holds 54.3% market share (40.1 million connections), followed by Vodafone Idea (16.8 million) and Jio (13.5 million). BSNL accounts for 3.4 million connections in niche segments.

The growth is driven by government programs: the National Smart Metering Project (250 million smart meters by 2026), Smart Cities Mission, Digital India, and BharatNet rural connectivity. This is not organic enterprise adoption —it is state-directed infrastructure buildout, which means regulatory compliance is non-optional and enforcement is systematic.

Source: TRAI subscriber data, Communications Today analysis, May 2025. Available at https://www.communicationstoday.co.in/airtel-consolidates-leadership-in-indias-m2m-market/

TRAI and DoT: The Regulatory Stack for IoT in India

India's IoT regulatory framework has been built through a series of TRAI recommendations and DoT instructions between 2022 and 2025. The key documents:

1. DoT M2MSP Registration Guidelines (February 2022, amended): Any entity providing M2M/IoT connectivity services in India must register as an M2M Service Provider (M2MSP) with the DoT. M2MSPs must use Indian-issued numbering resources —the 901.XX IMSI series for foreign operators is not permitted for domestic M2M services.

2. TRAI Recommendations on eSIM for M2M (March 2024): Formally endorsed eSIM/eUICC use in M2M devices, paving the way for the June 2025 DoT eSIM instructions.

3. DoT M2M eSIM Instructions (June 2025): Liberalized the eSIM framework —SM-SR (Subscription Manager Secure Routing) ownership is now open to Unified License holders, registered M2MSPs, and VNOs. SM-SR sites must be GSMA SAS-SM certified. Integration with any Indian TSP's SM-DP must be completed within 3 months of request.

4. TRAI Recommendations on Foreign SIMs for Export M2M Devices (December 2025): Created a new "International M2M SIM Service Authorisation" under the Telecommunications Act 2023. Indian manufacturers can embed foreign SIMs/eSIMs in export-bound devices with: Rs 5,000 processing fee, 10-year validity, up to 6 months of in-India testing allowed. Zero entry fee.

Source: TRAI, "Recommendations on use of foreign SIMs in export-focused IoT devices", December 2025. Available at https://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/Business/20251230/4399720.html

Source: JSA Law, "Telecommunications —eSIM for M2M Communications", June 2025. Available at https://www.jsalaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/JSA-Prism-Telecommunications_June-2025-Esim.Final_.pdf

Source: Cullen International, "Asia-Pacific sharpens regulatory control of IoT connectivity", April 2026. Available at https://www.cullen-international.com/news/2026/04/Asia-Pacific-sharpens-regulatory-control-of-IoT-connectivity-across-roaming--licensing-and-SIM-registration-frameworks.html

The 6-Month Clock: Permanent Roaming Is Not an Option

India prohibits permanent roaming for foreign-issued IoT SIMs. Any foreign SIM operating in India must be converted to a locally registered Indian IMSI within 6 months. This is not a suggestion —it is enforced through the DoT's M2MSP registration framework and the requirement that all domestic M2M services use Indian-issued numbering resources.

This has two practical consequences for enterprise deployments:

1. A single-SKU global roaming SIM cannot serve India as a permanent market. After 6 months, the SIM must either have an Indian-issued IMSI profile or be replaced.

2. Multi-IMSI eSIM is the only viable single-SKU approach: the SIM carries an Airtel or Jio IMSI alongside other country profiles. When deployed in India, the Indian profile activates. After 6 months, the foreign IMSI is disabled and only the Indian IMSI remains active —satisfying the TRAI requirement.

The exception: export manufacturing. Indian factories producing IoT devices for export can now embed foreign SIMs under the Dec 2025 framework —but those devices must leave India within 6 months of activation and cannot be sold or deployed domestically.

Jio NB-IoT vs Airtel M2M: The Carrier Decision

The practical question for any India deployment is: Jio or Airtel? The answer depends on the device profile and deployment geography.

Jio NB-IoT: Reliance Jio operates the most reliable NB-IoT network in India, confirmed working across 7-8 states (Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune). Key details: standard APN/IP mode is available (jionpiq) —not limited to Non-IP/NIDD. Band locking to Band 5 (850 MHz) improves attach stability. Works well with Nordic nRF9160/nRF9151 modules. Enterprise provisioning is required but R&D SIMs can be sourced through distributors. Best for: smart meters, agriculture sensors, asset trackers with low data rates.

Airtel M2M: Airtel dominates the enterprise M2M market (54.3% share, 40.1M connections) and provides the broadest enterprise IoT platform. Airtel Business offers dedicated IoT connectivity with SLAs, private APN support, and a mature CMP integration. However, Airtel's NB-IoT coverage is reportedly patchy —users report poor attach success in Bangalore. Airtel is better suited for LTE-M and standard 4G LTE M2M deployments. Best for: fleet tracking, POS terminals, industrial gateways with higher data rates.

Practical recommendation: For pure NB-IoT low-power deployments, test with Jio first. For enterprise M2M requiring SLAs and private APN, Airtel Business is the safer choice. For redundancy, deploy a multi-IMSI SIM with both Jio and Airtel profiles —the SIM selects the strongest network at the device location.

Source: Nordic DevZone, "NB-IoT SIM options for nRF9160 in India", 2025. Available at https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/128227/nb-iot-sim-options-for-nrf9160-in-india/566819

KYC, Numbering, and M2MSP Registration: The Operational Checklist

Deploying IoT in India requires three operational steps beyond carrier selection:

1. M2MSP Registration: If you are providing connectivity services —not just hardware —you must register as an M2MSP with the DoT. This includes submitting incorporation documents, network architecture description, and a security compliance plan. Processing time: 4-8 weeks.

2. KYC for IoT SIMs: Every IoT SIM in India must be linked to an enterprise identity through the DoT's KYC framework. This is not biometric (unlike consumer SIMs) but requires: certificate of incorporation, GST registration, authorized signatory PAN card, and a letter of undertaking for the specific device count.

3. IMSI Numbering: M2MSPs must use Indian-issued IMSI series —not the global 901.XX codes. This means working with an Indian-licensed carrier (Airtel, Jio, Vi, BSNL) or a registered M2MSP partner that holds Indian numbering resources.

The Dec 2025 export framework provides a separate path for manufacturers: eligible entities can apply for the International M2M SIM Service Authorisation (Rs 5,000, 10-year validity) to embed foreign eSIM profiles in export-only devices without DoT KYC per device.

What 500 NB-IoT sensors actually cost in India —and when the bill surprises you

For single-city NB-IoT sensor deployments under 500 devices: catalogue pricing with a Jio NB-IoT profile is appropriate. The regulatory overhead is manageable and the data volumes are low (2-10 MB/SIM/month).

Project pricing becomes necessary when:

1. Deployment exceeds 1,000 devices across 3+ states —M2MSP registration, per-state KYC variances, and carrier diversity (Jio + Airtel multi-IMSI) justify a project-scoped agreement with dedicated CMP instance.

2. Devices include both NB-IoT and LTE-M profiles on a single SIM —multi-profile management with per-carrier PGW breakout in Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi.

3. Export manufacturing use case —the International M2M SIM Service Authorisation process, while low-cost, requires regulatory navigation that is best handled through a project onboarding team.

4. Devices have lifecycle beyond 5 years —SM-SR certification requirements, periodic KYC renewal, and TRAI regulatory change risk (the framework is being actively updated) make long-term catalogue commitments risky.