Drop the leading 0 from Indian numbers
Indian domestic numbers often include a leading 0 before the area code (e.g. 022 for Mumbai or 011 for Delhi). When calling from the UAE, omit this leading 0. Dial +91 22 ... for Mumbai, not +91 022.
Quick Answer
How to Call India from the UAE
To call India from the UAE, dial 00 + 91 + the phone number (without the leading 0). From a mobile, simply use +91 followed by the full number. Sayfone lets you call India for just $0.08/min with clear audio quality.
🇦🇪From United Arab Emirates
To India🇮🇳
$0.08
Per minute
+91
Country code
HD
Call quality
Landline rate
$0.08/min
Mobile rate
$0.08/min
Same per-minute Sayfone rate for landline and mobile.
Average call quality
India's country code is +91. The UAE's international exit code is 00. Indian mobile numbers are 10 digits long and start with 6, 7, 8, or 9. For landlines, include the city area code (e.g. 11 for Delhi, 22 for Mumbai) after +91.
Steps at a glance
- Dial 00 (UAE exit code) or press + on your mobile
- Dial 91 (India's country code)
- Enter the 10-digit mobile number, or area code + local number for landlines
- Press call — or use Sayfone for $0.08/min rates
Sources
- 1Telephone numbers in India — Wikipedia
Country code, mobile format, area code structure
- 2India e-Governance Standards — Telephone Number
Official country code and dialing format
- 3UAE Exit Code — countrycode.com
UAE outbound exit code 00
DIALING GUIDE
Step-by-Step: Calling India from the UAE
Follow these steps to reach any Indian mobile or landline number from the United Arab Emirates. Whether you're calling family in Kerala or a business contact in Mumbai, the process is the same.
Dial the UAE exit code
From a UAE landline, dial 00. From a mobile phone, you can simply press and hold 0 to get the + symbol, which replaces the exit code automatically.
00 or +
Dial India's country code
Enter 91, India's country code. This routes your call to the Indian telephone network.
00 91 or +91
Enter the Indian phone number
For mobile numbers: dial the full 10-digit number (starting with 6, 7, 8, or 9). For landlines: dial the area code (without the leading 0) followed by the local number. The area code plus local number together total 10 digits.
Mobile: 00 91 98123 45678 | Landline (Mumbai): 00 91 22 2345 6789
Press call
Your call will connect to India. If you're using Sayfone, open your browser, enter the number, and call at $0.08/min — no app download required.
Dialing format reference
+91
Use these patterns when entering a full international number to +91.
Mobile
+91 XXXXX XXXXX (10-digit number starting with 6, 7, 8, or 9)
Landline
+91 [area code] [local number] (area code 2–4 digits + local number, totalling 10 digits)
- +91 98765 43210 (mobile)
- +91 11 2345 6789 (Delhi landline)
- +91 22 2345 6789 (Mumbai landline)
- +91 44 2345 6789 (Chennai landline)
Major city area codes
New Delhi11
Mumbai22
Kolkata33
Chennai44
Bengaluru80
Hyderabad40
Ahmedabad79
Pune20
Sources
- 1Telephone numbers in India — Wikipedia
Mobile and landline number formats
- 2India e-Governance Standards — Telephone Number
Official Indian dialing standards
- 3UAE Exit Code — countrycode.com
Confirms UAE exit code is 00
IMPORTANT RULES
Dialing Rules for Calling India from the UAE
Keep these formatting rules in mind to ensure your call connects on the first attempt. Small mistakes — like leaving in a leading zero — are the most common reason calls fail.
Indian mobile numbers are always 10 digits
All Indian mobile numbers are exactly 10 digits and begin with 6, 7, 8, or 9. No area code is needed for mobile calls — just dial +91 followed by the full 10-digit number.
Landline area codes vary from 2 to 4 digits
Major metro cities like Delhi (11), Mumbai (22), and Chennai (44) have 2-digit area codes. Smaller cities have 3- or 4-digit codes. The area code plus local subscriber number always totals 10 digits.
Use 00 or + from the UAE
The UAE's international exit code is 00. On a mobile phone, you can use the + symbol instead (press and hold 0). Both methods work identically for reaching India.
Save Indian contacts in +91 format
Store all Indian phone numbers in the international format (+91 XXXXXXXXXX) so they work whether you're in the UAE, traveling, or using a browser-based calling service like Sayfone.
TIMING TIPS
Best Times to Call India from the UAE
India Standard Time (IST) is UTC+5:30 and the UAE runs on Gulf Standard Time (GST) at UTC+4. That means India is just 1 hour 30 minutes ahead of the UAE — one of the most convenient time differences for regular calling.
🇮🇳
The narrow time gap makes it easy for Indian expats in the UAE to call family before or after work, and for businesses to operate across both markets during overlapping hours.
Time & windows
Morning Call (family)
7:00 AM UAE → 8:30 AM India
Great for a quick check-in before work — family in India will be starting their day too.
Lunch Break Call
1:00 PM UAE → 2:30 PM India
Mid-day is convenient for both sides. Schools are out in India, making it easy to reach children.
After Work Call
7:00 PM UAE → 8:30 PM India
Ideal for longer family conversations. Most Indian households are done with dinner by 9 PM IST.
🇦🇪UAE business hours in IST
9:30 AM – 7:30 PM ISTStandard UAE office hours (8 AM – 6 PM GST) overlap almost entirely with Indian business hours.
🇦🇪Indian business hours in GST
7:30 AM – 5:00 PM GSTIndian offices (9 AM – 6:30 PM IST) are reachable during a full UAE working day.
🇦🇪Late evening (avoid)
After 10:30 PM IST / 9:00 PM GSTCalls after this time may be unwelcome for personal contacts.
Calling tips
- The 1.5-hour time difference means you rarely need to worry about waking someone up — almost any reasonable hour in the UAE works for India.
- Friday is the weekend start in the UAE but a working day in India — a good window for daytime personal calls while you're off.
- Indian public holidays (Diwali, Holi, Eid) are popular times for calls — plan ahead as networks can be busy.
- For remittance coordination calls, weekday mornings align well with Indian banking hours (10 AM – 4 PM IST).
Business etiquette
- Indian business culture values personal rapport — start calls with brief pleasantries before business.
- Confirm meeting times explicitly with IST and GST to avoid confusion, even though the gap is small.
- Email a brief agenda before scheduled business calls; it's considered professional in both markets.
- Be mindful of regional language preferences — Hindi is widely spoken in the north, while southern states prefer English or local languages.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Common Issues When Calling India from the UAE
If your call to India isn't connecting, the issue is usually a simple formatting error. Here are the most common problems and how to fix them.
Call won't connect — wrong format
The most common issue is including the leading 0 from the Indian domestic number. When dialing from the UAE, drop the 0: dial +91 22 ... not +91 022 ... for Mumbai landlines. For mobiles, dial the full 10 digits after +91.
Forgot the exit code
If you're on a UAE landline, you must dial 00 before 91. Without it, your call stays within the UAE network and won't reach India. On a mobile, use + instead.
Call connects but wrong person answers
Double-check the area code. Indian landline area codes vary from 2 to 4 digits, and dialing the wrong code routes your call to a different city entirely. Verify the area code before calling.
High per-minute charges from UAE carrier
Calling India from a UAE mobile plan (Etisalat or du) can be expensive for international calls. Using a browser-based service like Sayfone at $0.08/min can significantly reduce costs, especially for frequent callers.
Call quality issues or drops
If you experience choppy audio or dropped calls, ensure you have a stable internet connection (Wi-Fi or 4G/5G) when using VoIP services. For traditional calls, network congestion during peak hours (evenings, holidays) can affect quality.
Sources
- 1Wise — UAE Country Code Guide
Common international calling troubleshooting
Savings
See what you could save
Adjust the tools below to compare Sayfone with typical retail pricing for calls to India. Start with one call, then layer on monthly volume to see the bigger picture.
How to use these tools
- Sayfone uses your live rate for calls to India — the same basis as the rest of this page.
- First, estimate savings on a single call length. Then, model a full month of minutes versus typical retail benchmarks.
- Retail competitor rows are illustrative — not a quote from any carrier.
One call — instant savings
Set duration and country. See Sayfone vs. an illustrative retail rate for the same call.
I'm calling…
▾
12 minutes
1 min10 min20 min30 min40 min50 min1 hr
Enable enterprise discount
Save additional 40% (enterprise)
Your call
Your call will cost
$0.96
$0.080 per minute
Sayfone$0.96$0.080 / min
Competitors$2.40$0.20 / min
Your savings$1.44$0.12 / min
That's 60% less than competitors
Every month — stack it up
Set monthly minutes and call type. Bars compare Sayfone to common retail benchmarks for the same volume.
Drag slider to adjust
220
min / month
AT&T / Verizon$862
~$3.92/min
T-Mobile$651
~$2.96/min
Calling cards$387
~$1.76/min
Google Voice$88
~$0.40/min
Sayfone$18
$0.080/min
Annual saving vs. AT&T
Based on 220 min/month
$10,138
Before you go
Still planning your call to India?
Open the full United Arab Emirates to India guide, check rates, or browse other how-to guides from United Arab Emirates.
Dialing guideRates
United Arab Emirates to India calling guide
Per-minute rates, savings calculator, and what to expect on this route.
What it costs to call India
See Sayfone’s per-minute rate for India and how it compares before you dial.
Route guides from United Arab Emirates
- United Arab Emirates to BangladeshRates and tips for calling Bangladesh.
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- United Arab Emirates to IndonesiaRates and tips for calling Indonesia.
- United Arab Emirates to NepalRates and tips for calling Nepal.
- United Arab Emirates to PakistanRates and tips for calling Pakistan.
Other how-to guides from United Arab Emirates
- United Arab Emirates to BangladeshDialing steps for Bangladesh.
- United Arab Emirates to EgyptDialing steps for Egypt.
- United Arab Emirates to EthiopiaDialing steps for Ethiopia.
- United Arab Emirates to IndonesiaDialing steps for Indonesia.
- United Arab Emirates to KenyaDialing steps for Kenya.
- United Arab Emirates to NepalDialing steps for Nepal.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Calling India from the UAE
Answers to the most common questions from UAE-based callers reaching out to India.
Have a question we didn't cover? Reach out to Sayfone support.
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Browse calling guides for other popular international routes from the UAE.
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