I wasn’t actually searching for a telecom update when I found this one.

I was just scrolling YouTube when a Vi advertisement appeared about free international roaming. The message immediately stood out because international roaming has usually been one of those things people remember only after booking a foreign trip—and then discover that staying connected can cost extra.

After checking Vi’s current plans and the company’s announcement, the important detail is that Vi has now bundled international roaming into selected prepaid, postpaid and enterprise plans. The benefit can be used across 170+ countries, with eligibility and the amount of data, calling and validity depending on the plan.

And this launch comes at an interesting time for Vi because the company has just refreshed its brand identity. The new Vi logo moves the familiar yellow element above the “i” and gives it a more rounded, three-dimensional appearance, while the company has also introduced the “Vi Pe Sab Hain VIP” campaign.

So this isn't simply another roaming pack.

What Has Vi Actually Launched?

Vi is changing the way it presents international roaming.

Previously, an ordinary Vi customer travelling abroad generally had to purchase a separate international roaming pack or look for another connectivity option. Vi's new proposition puts roaming benefits directly into selected plans instead.

The new Roam-Free proposition covers more than 170 countries and can provide international data and outgoing calling minutes. Depending on the plan, eligible users can use the benefit for up to three international trips in a year.

Vi says the proposition can save eligible customers up to ₹9,000 a year, although the actual saving depends on how much roaming they would otherwise have purchased and which plan they use.

That distinction matters because “free international roaming” does not mean unlimited worldwide mobile internet for every Vi customer.

The exact allowance depends on the plan.

Which Vi Customers Can Get Free International Roaming?

The offer is spread across several categories rather than being a universal benefit for every Vi connection.

The postpaid range includes several Vi Max plans, while prepaid eligibility is linked to selected annual plans. Benefits such as data quota and outgoing calling minutes vary according to the plan and circle.

Vi's own current prepaid listings also show annual plans carrying the free International Roaming benefit, including ₹3,599 and ₹3,699 options on the displayed circle.

That circle-specific detail is important. A plan or benefit displayed for one Vi circle should not automatically be assumed to be identical everywhere.

The Word “Free” Needs a Little Context

This is probably the most important part of the announcement.

Free roaming is being provided as a bundled benefit, not as a blanket replacement for every possible roaming charge.

For example, the amount of international data or outgoing calling minutes available can differ between plans. The number of eligible trips can also depend on the particular plan.

Vi still maintains separate international roaming packs for customers who don't have the new benefit or who need additional coverage. Its international roaming service currently covers 170+ countries, with different benefits depending on destination and pack.

So the practical change is this:

Earlier: Choose a roaming pack when travelling.

Now: Choose an eligible Vi plan where roaming is already included.

That is a much more interesting change from a business perspective than simply reducing the price of an existing roaming pack.

Why Is Vi Doing This Now?

The timing is important.

Vi changed its brand identity on September 1, 2026, introducing the updated logo and positioning the change as part of a wider transformation. It has also brought Shah Rukh Khan into its new campaign and launched the “Vi Pe Sab Hain VIP” proposition.

The roaming announcement fits directly into that story.

Vi's CMO Avneesh Khosla said international roaming has traditionally involved buying a separate pack, using a local SIM or travel eSIM, and dealing with the perception that roaming is expensive. The company is now trying to make roaming a built-in benefit of its key plans instead.

There is also a practical customer problem here.

A traveller might want to use a local SIM or eSIM for cheaper data but still needs their Indian number for calls, messages, banking alerts and OTP-related services. Keeping the Vi connection active while travelling removes some of that friction.

What Could This Change for Vi as a Company?

The immediate effect isn't that Vi suddenly gets a new giant source of revenue from roaming.

The more interesting effect is on customer behaviour.

It can make higher-value plans more attractive

International roaming is particularly relevant to people who travel abroad for holidays, business, education or family visits.

A ₹501-plus postpaid plan becomes easier to justify when the customer compares the complete package rather than just monthly data and calling.

Vi already reported ₹195 customer ARPU in Q1 FY27, up 10.2% year-on-year, while its subscriber base stood at 193.1 million. The company also reported 130.1 million 4G/5G subscribers.

That means bundled benefits such as roaming fit into a broader strategy of getting customers to use and pay for higher-value services.

It can help customer retention

Imagine someone who travels internationally two or three times a year.

For that person, changing operators isn't only about network coverage. International connectivity becomes part of the total value of the mobile plan.

By attaching roaming to the plan itself, Vi is giving customers another reason to keep their existing number and plan.

The company is effectively moving roaming from a transaction into a relationship benefit.

It can reduce the temptation to use another SIM

Travel eSIMs have made international connectivity easier to buy. A traveller can often purchase data for a destination before boarding a flight.

Vi is competing with that behaviour by saying, essentially: you may not need to arrange another connection because your existing Vi number can travel with you.

That is strategically important even when the customer doesn't make many international calls.

There is a trade-off for Vi too

There is also a financial side that shouldn't be ignored.

When a customer previously purchased a separate roaming pack, that transaction generated additional revenue. When the same customer receives roaming as part of an existing plan, Vi may give up some standalone roaming revenue.

The company therefore needs the bundled benefit to produce value elsewhere—through plan upgrades, customer acquisition, lower churn or stronger engagement.

That is an inference about the business model rather than a figure Vi has publicly quantified in connection with this launch.

How Does This Fit With Vi's Recent Business Performance?

The roaming launch arrives while Vi is already trying to improve several operational metrics.

In Q1 FY27, Vi reported revenue from operations of ₹11,689 crore, up 6% year-on-year, while EBITDA rose 9.1% to ₹5,034 crore. Its customer ARPU reached ₹195, and its subscriber base increased from 192.8 million in Q4 FY26 to 193.1 million in Q1 FY27—the company's first quarterly net subscriber addition since the Vodafone-Idea merger.

However, the company still reported a ₹3,754 crore net loss for the quarter. Vi also had negative net worth of ₹38,327 crore as of June 30, 2026, showing why individual product launches need to be viewed as part of a much larger financial and network-expansion story.

Vi has also outlined a three-year capital expenditure programme of around ₹45,000 crore, with ₹9,000 crore of capex orders already placed as of the Q1 FY27 update.

So free roaming doesn't change Vi's financial position overnight.

What it does is add another customer-facing benefit at a time when the company is trying to strengthen its overall proposition.

What Happened to Vi Shares After the Announcement?

The free-roaming announcement came on September 25, 2026, and Vi's shares moved higher during that trading session.

On the NSE, Vodafone Idea closed at ₹14.26 on September 25, compared with ₹14.12 on September 24, a daily increase of 0.99%. The stock traded as high as ₹14.38 during the session.

BSE data similarly shows a close of ₹14.25, up 1.06% for the day.

NDTV Profit reported that the stock had gained as much as 1.84% intraday to ₹14.38 after the announcement.

But there is an important distinction here.

The share-price movement should not be treated as proof that the roaming launch alone caused the increase. Share prices move because of many simultaneous factors, including broader market conditions, company developments, expectations around funding and network expansion, trading activity and investor sentiment.

The most defensible way to describe the immediate market response is simply that Vodafone Idea shares ended September 25 higher after the announcement, while the stock's actual long-term impact from the roaming proposition remains something that future subscriber, ARPU and financial results would need to show.

The Bigger Story Is Not Really About Roaming

This is where the new Vi logo, the new campaign and the roaming launch start to make more sense together.

The September brand refresh was presented by Vi as more than a logo change. The company says the yellow element moving upward represents its direction, while the wider identity change is tied to network improvements and new customer experiences.

Then came “Vi Pe Sab Hain VIP”.

And now international roaming is being packaged as something already included with selected plans.

The pattern is clear: Vi is trying to make the overall mobile plan feel more valuable, rather than competing only on the amount of domestic data included in a recharge.

That matters because telecom customers don't use their SIM cards only for gigabytes.

They use them for banking, travel, work, entertainment, communication and increasingly as a permanent digital identity.

International roaming is one small but visible part of that experience.

What Customers Should Check Before Travelling

Anyone considering one of these plans should check the actual plan details before flying rather than relying only on the “free roaming” headline.

The important things are the destination country, eligible number of trips, international data allowance, outgoing calling allowance, validity and any plan-specific conditions.

Vi provides the relevant roaming information through its website and app, and its current roaming documentation makes clear that international benefits can vary by country and plan.

For someone who travels once or twice a year, having roaming already built into the mobile plan could be considerably simpler than remembering to buy a pack every time.

For someone travelling for several weeks or using large amounts of data, the included allowance still needs to be checked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Vi international roaming now free for everyone?

No. Free international roaming is available with selected Vi prepaid, postpaid and enterprise plans.

How many countries are covered?

Vi says the new proposition covers 170+ countries.

How many trips can I use the benefit for?

Eligible customers can receive the benefit for up to three trips a year, depending on the plan.

Does free roaming mean unlimited internet abroad?

No. The included data allowance depends on the plan. Vi's announcement describes different international data quotas and outgoing calling minutes for different plans.

What is the starting price for eligible Vi postpaid plans?

The announced eligible postpaid options start at ₹501 per month.

Are prepaid users included?

Yes. Selected annual prepaid unlimited-data plans include the free international roaming benefit. Availability and pricing can vary by circle.

Does Vi still sell normal international roaming packs?

Yes. Vi continues to offer separate international roaming packs for customers who need them or whose plan does not include the new benefit.

What happened to Vodafone Idea shares after the launch?

On September 25, 2026, the NSE-listed shares closed at ₹14.26, up 0.99% from the previous session, after trading as high as ₹14.38. This is the observed market movement for that session, not proof that the roaming announcement alone caused it.