Last reviewed: 2025-01-07 · Reading time: 5 minutes
How do you dial India from United States?
- Country code
+91- Mobile numbers
-
Example:
+91 98765 4321010 digits starting with 6, 7, 8, or 9. Numbers starting with 6 are newer (mostly Jio).
- Landline numbers
-
Example:
+91 11 2345 6789Area code + local number. Delhi is 11, Mumbai is 22, Kolkata is 33, Chennai is 44, Bangalore is 80.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Including the leading 0 that Indians dial locally—dial +91 11, not +91 011
- Not knowing if it's mobile or landline. Ask your contact—it affects the rate.
When is the best time to call India?
Timezone: IST (UTC+5:30)
Evening calls
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM IST (8:30 AM - 11:30 AM EST / 5:30 AM - 8:30 AM PST your time)
Families are usually home. Avoid 2-5 PM IST—older relatives often rest then.
Business hours
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM IST (11:30 PM - 7:30 AM EST (previous night) your time)
Limited overlap with US hours. Early morning EST catches end of the Indian workday.
What should you know about calling India?
India has excellent mobile coverage in cities and towns. Major carriers
are Jio (largest), Airtel, and Vi. Landlines are rare now—most people
use mobile exclusively.
Call quality to urban areas is excellent. Rural areas may have occasional
hiccups. If a call doesn't connect, wait 30 seconds and try again.
Cultural tips
Avoid calling between 2-5 PM IST—older relatives often rest during afternoon
hours. Sunday mornings work well for family calls. If someone doesn't answer,
they may call back shortly—missed calls are commonly used as "call me" signals.
Holidays to know
Expect difficulty reaching people during Diwali (October/November, 5 days),
Holi (March, 2 days), and regional festivals. During wedding season
(November-February), families may be traveling or busy with celebrations.
Republic Day (Jan 26) and Independence Day (Aug 15) are national holidays.
Alternatives to phone calls
WhatsApp is extremely popular in India—many prefer WhatsApp voice or video
calls over regular phone calls. If your contact has WhatsApp, you may get
better connection quality and it's free for both parties over WiFi.
Frequently asked questions
Why do mobile calls cost more than landline?
India's telecom regulator sets different termination rates for mobile
and landline networks. Mobile fees are higher. This isn't markup—it's
how Indian infrastructure is priced.
Can I call numbers starting with +91 6?
Yes. Numbers starting with 6 are valid mobile numbers, mostly Jio
allocations from 2016 onward. They work like any other mobile number.
What are the area codes for major Indian cities?
Metro cities (2-digit codes):
Delhi: 11 · Mumbai: 22 · Kolkata: 33 · Chennai: 44 · Bangalore: 80 · Hyderabad: 40
Major cities (3-digit codes):
Ahmedabad: 79 · Pune: 20 · Jaipur: 141 · Lucknow: 522 · Kanpur: 512 · Nagpur: 712 · Indore: 731 · Bhopal: 755 · Visakhapatnam: 891 · Patna: 612 · Vadodara: 265 · Ludhiana: 161 · Agra: 562 · Nashik: 253 · Meerut: 121 · Rajkot: 281 · Varanasi: 542 · Srinagar: 194 · Amritsar: 183 · Allahabad (Prayagraj): 532 · Ranchi: 651 · Coimbatore: 422 · Madurai: 452 · Kochi: 484 · Chandigarh: 172 · Guwahati: 361 · Mysore: 821 · Thiruvananthapuram: 471 · Gurgaon: 124 · Noida: 120 · Surat: 261 · Jabalpur: 761 · Gwalior: 751 · Vijayawada: 866 · Jodhpur: 291 · Raipur: 771 · Dehradun: 135 · Udaipur: 294 · Aurangabad: 240 · Mangalore: 824 · Shimla: 177
How do I tell if a number is mobile or landline?
Mobile: exactly 10 digits starting with 6, 7, 8, or 9.
Landline: area code (2-4 digits) + local number.
If it starts with 6-9 and is 10 digits total, it's mobile.
Why does my caller ID show a different number?
International VoIP calls route through carrier networks that may show
a local Indian number as the caller ID. Your call still goes through
normally.
Current rates
$0.07-$0.08/min
Rates vary by mobile vs landline. Billed per minute, rounded up.
View all rates →