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This guide covers requirements, compliance, and best practices for voice calling within India.

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Quick Reference

RequirementDetails
Business registrationIndia-registered businesses only for domestic routes
KYC complianceRequired before renting Indian numbers
Caller IDMust use India Plivo phone number
Media anchoringMedia must stay within India
PaymentINR via Indian credit card

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Eligibility

Only businesses with a registered entity in India can:
  • Rent Indian phone numbers
  • Make domestic calls within India
  • Use India domestic routes
Businesses outside India: Use international routes only (higher rates, no domestic CLI).

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KYC Compliance

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Required Documents

DocumentDescription
Certificate of Incorporation (COI)Proof of business registration
GST CertificateGoods and Services Tax registration
No other documents are accepted.

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Submit Compliance Application

  1. Navigate to Compliance Application
  2. Click Create Application
  3. Select India and click Continue
  4. Upload COI and GST Certificate
  5. Select business type (Direct Brand or Reseller)
  6. Submit
Review time: ~15 minutes (up to 1 business day)

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Business Types

TypeDefinitionCompliance Requirement
Direct BrandPlace calls for your own businessOne compliance application
ResellerOffer communication services to other businessesSeparate application per end customer
Important: Incorrectly identifying your business type results in rejection.

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Application Status

StatusMeaningNext Steps
ApprovedKYC verifiedRent numbers
RejectedDocuments need correctionCheck rejection email, resubmit

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Rent Indian Numbers

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Direct Brands

After compliance approval:
  1. Go to Buy Phone Numbers
  2. Select India
  3. Compliance application links automatically

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Resellers

  1. Ensure compliance application for the end customer is approved
  2. During purchase, select the appropriate compliance application
  3. Application must be approved before purchasing

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Update Compliance on Existing Numbers

Option 1:
  1. Go to Active Numbers
  2. Select numbers to update
  3. Click Choose Action > Update Compliance
  4. Select compliance application
  5. Save
Option 2:
  1. Go to Active Numbers
  2. Click on specific number
  3. Select compliance application from dropdown

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Media Anchoring

India regulations require call media to stay within the country. Rule: Both legs of a call must originate and terminate within India.

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Violation Scenario

If a domestic call leg is bridged with an international call leg, the call fails with: 
Hangup cause: violates_media_anchoring

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Compliant Architecture

  • Inbound calls: From India → To India
  • Outbound calls: From India number → To India destination
  • Conference calls: All participants in India

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Domestic Calling Benefits

BenefitDescription
Lower latencyShorter media path within country
Better audio qualityLocal routing
Assured local CLICaller ID displays correctly
INR pricingAttractive rates in local currency

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Calls Per Second (CPS) in India

TypeDefault
Outbound2 CPS
InboundBased on account tier
Contact Plivo Support to increase limits.

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Voice Call Audits

Indian telecom providers audit calls following consumer complaints.

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Audit Process

  1. Call recipient files complaint with their telecom provider
  2. Telecom provider identifies Plivo as originating service
  3. Plivo compliance team identifies your account
  4. You receive audit notice from Plivo
  5. You must respond within 5 days

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What You’ll Receive

  • Caller Number (your Plivo number)
  • Callee Number (the recipient)
  • Timestamp (IST)
  • Call UUID

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Required Response

Consent evidence showing:
  • Company logo or name
  • Recipient’s name
  • Recipient’s phone number
  • Date consent was given
Acceptable formats:
  • CRM screenshot
  • Signed consent form
  • Digital opt-in record

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Consequences

ScenarioOutcome
Valid evidence within 5 daysAudit reviewed and closed
Insufficient evidenceRequest for additional documentation
No response within 5 daysNumber disconnection, possible account suspension
Multiple complaintsPotential blacklisting by TRAI
Warning: Using a different Plivo number to contact the same callee after a complaint is a violation.

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Best Practices to Avoid Audits

  • Only call users who explicitly opted in
  • Honor rejections—don’t call repeatedly
  • Refresh consent every 6 months (TRAI requirement)
  • Maintain proper consent records

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Account Setup for Indian Businesses

If your India-registered business serves both Indian and international destinations:
  1. Create two separate accounts with different email addresses
  2. Submit a request for India-based trial account via this form
  3. Use Indian credit card for payments