Best VPN for India 2026: Navigate New Data Laws
India's CERT-In directive (2022) requires VPN providers to log user data for 5 years. In response, most reputable VPNs removed their physical Indian servers but offer virtual Indian IP addresses from servers in Singapore or the UK. This ensures you can still get an Indian IP without compromising privacy.
VPN Legal Status
Legal, but CERT-In directive requires VPNs to log user data if operating physical servers in India.
Internet Freedom
Partly Free (Freedom House score: 50/100)
Major ISPs in India
JioAirtelVi (Vodafone Idea)BSNLACT Fibernet
Key Considerations
- • CERT-In directive requires 5-year data retention for VPN providers with Indian servers
- • Major VPNs use virtual servers for Indian IPs
- • Government has blocked certain VPN websites intermittently
- • Essential for public Wi-Fi security
- • Access to region-restricted Indian content from abroad
Best VPNs for India
#1
NordVPN
Best overall VPN with fastest speeds
9.5/10
#2$3.39/mo
ExpressVPN
Best VPN for ease of use and reliability
9.3/10
#3$6.67/mo
Surfshark
Best value VPN with unlimited devices
9.1/10
#4$2.49/mo
Proton VPN
Best VPN for privacy and open-source transparency
8.7/10
#5$4.99/mo
CyberGhost
Best VPN for streaming with dedicated servers
8.8/10
$2.19/mo
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is VPN legal in India?
- Yes, VPNs are legal in India. The CERT-In directive affects VPN companies operating physical servers in India but does not restrict individual VPN use.
- Which VPNs still work in India?
- All major VPNs work in India. NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark offer virtual Indian servers (physically located elsewhere) to avoid CERT-In logging requirements while still providing Indian IP addresses.