Airtel hikes postpaid plans by ₹50, adds free annual international roaming; telecom stock jumps over 2%

Shares of Bharti Airtel gained as much as 2.5% to hit an intraday high of ₹1,854.95 on the BSE on Wednesday after the telecom major hiked postpaid tariffs by ₹50 and revamped its plans to bundle one free international roaming trip every year.

Extending gains for the third consecutive session, Bharti Airtel shares opened higher at ₹1,821.10, against the previous close of ₹1,809, amid volatility in the broader market.

The large-cap stock has gained as much as 6.5% in three sessions this week and has rebounded 7.5% from its 52-week low of ₹1,726.05, hit on September 1, 2026. The stock had touched its 52-week high of ₹2,174.70 on November 21, 2025.

At the time of reporting, the telecom heavyweight was trading 1.72% higher at ₹1,840.20, with a market capitalisation of ₹11.48 lakh crore.

Airtel raises postpaid tariffs by ₹50

Billionaire entrepreneur Sunil Bharti Mittal-led Bharti Airtel has increased its postpaid tariffs by ₹50 as part of a revamp of its plans, which now include one complimentary international roaming trip each year.

The revised plans will take effect from October 8, 2026. Existing postpaid customers will be shifted to the nearest higher-priced plan within a month, according to company sources cited by PTI.

A company official said the free international roaming benefit is valued at ₹2,000.

The revised offerings effectively translate into a ₹50 increase over Airtel’s existing postpaid tariffs.

Roaming to strengthen postpaid value proposition

Under the new plans, Airtel customers will get one international trip with complimentary roaming every year, along with the existing benefits of their plans.

The complimentary international roaming pack includes 5GB of data, 60 minutes of calls, 25 outgoing SMS and free incoming SMS, all valid for five days. Customers can activate the five-day pack at a time of their choice.

For customers on Airtel postpaid family plans, the free international roaming benefit will be available to every family member covered under the plan.

“Postpaid for us is about delivering the best-in-class experience in the Indian market,” Amit Tripathi, Director – Market Operations, Bharti Airtel, said.

“We are determined to constantly raise the game for customers and give them more and more reasons to choose Airtel Postpaid,” he added.

The free international roaming benefit is the latest addition to Airtel Postpaid plans, which also offer Fast Lane technology on 5G, unlimited data, network-level protection against spam and fraudulent links, entertainment subscriptions and access to the Airtel Postpaid Advantage Club.

Vi’s free roaming offer intensifies competition

The development comes a week after rival Vodafone Idea announced free international roaming on select postpaid, prepaid and enterprise plans.

Vodafone Idea said eligible customers can avail the benefit across more than 170 countries. Its postpaid plans offering the benefit start at ₹501, while annual prepaid unlimited data plans and corporate plans start at ₹451 for enterprise customers.

Airtel said existing customers on old postpaid or prepaid plans can upgrade to the new plans through the Airtel App or by visiting an Airtel store. Non-Airtel customers can switch to Airtel Postpaid through the app or at an Airtel store.

The company said the new plans will be available to all customers opting for Airtel Postpaid from October 8.