How to Call India from the US: Complete Guide for 2026

How do I dial an Indian phone number from the US?

India's country code is +91. To call India from the United States:

From a landline: 011 + 91 + phone number

From a mobile phone: +91 + phone number (hold 0 to get the + symbol)

The "011" is the US exit code for international calls. The "91" is India's country code. Then you dial the full Indian number.

Indian mobile numbers

Indian mobile numbers are 10 digits and start with 6, 7, 8, or 9. Common prefixes include:

• 98xxx, 99xxx (older numbers)

• 70xxx, 72xxx, 73xxx (newer numbers)

• 80xxx, 81xxx, 82xxx

• 62xxx, 63xxx

Example: To call the Indian mobile number 98765 43210:

• From US landline: 011 91 98765 43210

• From US mobile: +91 98765 43210

No leading zero to drop—Indian mobile numbers don't have one.

Indian landline numbers

Indian landlines have an area code (STD code) plus a local number. The total is 10 digits including the area code. Major city codes:

• Mumbai: 22

• Delhi: 11

• Bangalore: 80

• Chennai: 44

• Kolkata: 33

• Hyderabad: 40

Within India, landlines are dialed with a leading 0 (like 022 for Mumbai). When calling from abroad, drop the 0.

Example: To call a Mumbai landline 22 1234 5678:

• From US landline: 011 91 22 1234 5678

• From US mobile: +91 22 1234 5678

Quick reference

What are the cheapest ways to call India?

Good news: India is one of the cheapest countries to call internationally. Termination rates are low due to competition and scale. You have several options ranging from free to very cheap.

1. WhatsApp (free)

Cost: $0

WhatsApp is extremely popular in India—over 500 million users. If the person you're calling has a smartphone, they almost certainly have WhatsApp.

Voice and video calls through WhatsApp are completely free. The call travels over the internet, never touching the phone network.

How to use: Install WhatsApp, add the person's number (with +91), and call through the app.

When it works: The person has a smartphone with WhatsApp and a decent internet connection.

When it doesn't: Elderly relatives with basic phones, landlines, areas with poor internet connectivity, business numbers.

This should be your first choice. Before paying for any call to India, check if WhatsApp works.

2. Google Voice (nearly free)

Cost: $0.01/minute to both mobiles and landlines

Google Voice offers incredibly cheap calls to India—just one cent per minute. A 30-minute call costs $0.30.

How to set up:

1. Go to voice.google.com

2. Sign in with your Google account

3. Choose a free Google Voice number

4. Add calling credit (minimum $10)

5. Dial +91 followed by the Indian number

Why it's great for India: At $0.01/minute, Google Voice is often cheaper than dedicated VoIP services. You can talk for over 16 hours on $10 of credit.

Limitation: Only available in the United States.

3. VoIP services (very cheap)

Cost: $0.01-0.03/minute

VoIP services like Viber Out and DialHard can call any Indian phone number at rates similar to Google Voice.

Viber Out

Rate to India: ~$0.019/minute

Minimum purchase: ~$5

Note: Credit expires after 180 days.

DialHard

Rate to India: ~$0.03/minute

Minimum purchase: $20

Key advantages: Credit never expires—good if you call occasionally. Browser-based (no app needed). Premium routes to India complete 94% of the time. US toll-free calls are free with 98% completion rate.

Rebtel

Rate: Unlimited India calling from ~$10/month

Best for: People who call India very frequently (daily or near-daily). If you're calling 5+ hours/month, unlimited makes sense.

4. Carrier international plans

Cost: $5-15/month plus reduced per-minute rates

Most US carriers offer India calling add-ons:

T-Mobile: Some plans include discounted India rates. Check your plan details.

AT&T World Connect: ~$5/month for reduced rates to India (around $0.14/minute).

Verizon International: Plans from $5-15/month with India included.

The math: Even with a carrier plan, you're often paying $0.10-0.25/minute. Google Voice at $0.01/minute is 10-25x cheaper. Carrier plans only make sense if you strongly prefer calling from your regular phone number.

5. Standard carrier rates (avoid)

Cost: $2.00-3.00/minute

If you dial an Indian number from your phone without any plan or service, you'll pay your carrier's default rate. This is extremely expensive.

Verizon standard rate to India: ~$2.89/minute

AT&T standard rate to India: ~$2.50/minute

A 20-minute call at $2.89/minute costs $57.80. The same call through Google Voice costs $0.20. That's a 289x difference.

Never use standard carrier rates to call India unless it's an absolute emergency.

How much does a 30-minute call to India cost?

Cost comparison for a 30-minute call to an Indian mobile number:

What time should I call India from the US?

India has a single time zone: Indian Standard Time (IST), which is UTC+5:30.

Time difference from US:

• Eastern Time: India is 9.5 or 10.5 hours ahead (depending on daylight saving)

• Central Time: India is 10.5 or 11.5 hours ahead

• Pacific Time: India is 12.5 or 13.5 hours ahead

Practical calling windows:

• 7am Eastern = 5:30pm or 6:30pm in India (good for evening calls)

• 9pm Eastern = 7:30am or 8:30am in India (good for morning calls)

• 12pm Eastern = 10:30pm or 11:30pm in India (too late for most people)

The half-hour offset (IST is +5:30, not +5 or +6) catches many people off guard. Double-check before calling.

Best times to call: Early morning US time (6-8am) reaches India in the evening. Late evening US time (8-10pm) reaches India in the morning. Avoid midday US time—it's the middle of the night in India.

How do I call different types of Indian numbers?

Calling elderly parents or grandparents

This is the most common scenario. Your parents or grandparents in India may have:

A smartphone with WhatsApp: Increasingly common even among older Indians. If they have it, teach them to answer WhatsApp calls. This is free and the quality is often excellent.

A basic phone or landline: Use Google Voice or a VoIP service. At $0.01-0.03/minute, even hour-long calls are affordable.

Tip: If they have a smartphone but struggle with WhatsApp, consider setting it up for them during a visit or having a relative help. The long-term savings are substantial.

Calling rural areas

Internet connectivity in rural India can be inconsistent. WhatsApp calls may drop or have poor quality.

Better option: Call the actual phone number using Google Voice or VoIP. Traditional phone networks often work better than mobile data in rural areas.

Landlines, where they exist, typically have better call quality than mobile phones in areas with weak signal.

Calling Indian businesses

Businesses have phone numbers, not WhatsApp accounts. You'll need to call the actual number.

For occasional calls: Google Voice at $0.01/minute is hard to beat.

For regular business calls: Consider a service with caller ID features so your calls appear professional.

Calling Indian mobile numbers from US mobile

If you need to call from your regular US mobile number (not through an app):

1. Check if your carrier has an India add-on plan

2. If the add-on rate is above $0.10/minute, using Google Voice or VoIP is still cheaper

3. Never call without a plan—standard rates are outrageous

How can someone in India call me?

If your family in India wants to call you, the situation reverses. They'll pay international rates from their Indian carrier unless they use alternatives.

Best solution: Have them call you through WhatsApp. It's free for them too.

If they must call your US number: International rates from India to the US are relatively cheap (₹7-12/minute from most carriers), but VoIP or WhatsApp is still better.

Google Voice advantage: Your Google Voice number is a real US number that anyone can call. If someone in India calls your Google Voice number, you receive it like a normal call—they pay their carrier's US rate, you pay nothing.

What if my call won't connect?

"Call won't connect"

Check the number format: Make sure you're including +91 and using 10 digits for the Indian number. For landlines, drop the leading 0 from the area code.

Try again: Indian networks occasionally have congestion, especially during peak hours or holidays like Diwali.

"I can hear them but they can't hear me" (or vice versa)

For VoIP/WhatsApp: Usually a network issue on one end. Try switching from WiFi to mobile data or vice versa. Ask them to do the same.

Check microphone permissions: Make sure the app has permission to access your microphone.

"Audio is choppy or delayed"

Internet quality issue: VoIP calls need stable connections on both ends. If the person in India has poor internet, call quality suffers regardless of your connection.

Try calling the phone number instead: Sometimes VoIP to a phone number is more reliable than app-to-app when the other person has weak internet.

"WhatsApp calls keep dropping"

Their internet may be unstable: Common in rural areas or during network congestion. Try calling their actual phone number through Google Voice instead.

Summary

India is cheap to call. Unlike some international destinations with high rates, India has low termination costs. This works in your favor.

Best free option: WhatsApp. Over 500 million Indians use it. Check if the person has it before paying for any call.

Best paid option: Google Voice at $0.01/minute. A 30-minute call costs 30 cents. Set it up even if you mostly use WhatsApp—it's invaluable when you need to call landlines or people without smartphones.

For occasional callers: Google Voice or DialHard (credit doesn't expire).

For daily callers: Rebtel unlimited (~$10/month).

Never use: Standard carrier rates. Paying $2.89/minute when Google Voice charges $0.01/minute is throwing money away.

Remember the time zone: India is 9.5-13.5 hours ahead of the US depending on your location and daylight saving time. Early morning or late evening US time are the best windows for calling.