The Indian entertainment industry is a global phenomenon, largely thanks to Bollywood. You can catch a ton of captivating content by turning on JioTV, Hotstar, Star Vijay, and many other television channels. But only when you’re physically in India. It’s not quite as straightforward to watch Indian TV channels abroad.
Those dazzling dance numbers, tear-jerking dramas, thrilling cricket games, and breaking news are locked behind geo-restrictions that make them inaccessible to expats, travelers, and fans. That is, unless they use a virtual private network (VPN).
A reputable VPN with Indian servers unlocks a treasure chest of live and on-demand content from India. Don’t know how to get started? Don’t fret — this article will equip you with everything you need to know. And because not all VPNs are created equal, we’ll explore the best options for accessing Indian TV channels abroad.
How to Watch Indian TV Channels from Anywhere With a VPN
It’s not rocket science, we promise. Here’s a simple guide to streaming videos on any Indian TV channel you’re interested in.
- Choose a Reliable VPN Service: You want a trustworthy provider with VPN services in India. For best results, it should have excellent unblocking capabilities and deliver fast speeds for smooth streaming. Our top pick, NordVPN, ticks all the boxes and more.
- Subscribe: Visit the VPN’s official website to create an account if you don’t have one already. Explore its subscription plan offerings and choose one that appeals to you. Provide the required information and complete the payment.
- Install the App: Once done, download and install the VPN application on your device. The providers we’ll discuss below have apps for various operating systems.
- Connect to an Indian Server: Launch the VPN app and sign in with your account credentials. From the home screen or server page, locate India and click to connect to it. Wait a few seconds while the provider establishes the connection.
- Enjoy Streaming: Load up your preferred Indian TV website or app and stream away. You may need to delete the cache and cookies on your browser if you previously visited the page without a VPN.
The 3 Best VPNs for Watching Indian TV Channels Abroad
As mentioned earlier, there’s a wide range of quality among VPNs. You risk enduring frustrating experiences (or worse) by making an uninformed choice. So, we exhaustively tested dozens of providers to determine the three best options for enjoying Indian TV from outside India.
Here they are:
1. NordVPN
NordVPN’s ability to bypass geo-restrictions is almost uncanny. We’ve been testing the provider for years, and it comes through every time. Indian TV channels are no exception — the VPN easily beats the blocks on Hindi and English channels, as well as those in other languages like Telugu and Tamil.
You’ll enjoy the live and on-demand streams because you never have to put up with slow internet speeds. NordVPN’s next-gen servers deliver lightning-fast connections, especially when coupled with its custom protocol, NordLynx, built around WireGuard.
Unfriendly privacy laws meant NordVPN had to remove its physical servers from India. However, there’s currently a virtual location in Mumbai. Overall, the provider has a massive collection with over 8,000 servers across 126 countries.
Whatever device you’re interested in streaming with, NordVPN has you covered with an app or manual configuration. Note, in this regard, that it offers the best VPN for Android devices according to our analyses. One subscription is enough for up to ten devices, but you can extend that thanks to its router support.
The VPN is packed with security features, so third parties can’t snoop in while you stream. Its toolkit includes bank-level AES 256-bit encryption, an advanced kill switch, DNS leak protection, and malware blocking. What’s more, it doesn’t store any information that can be traced back to you on its servers.
Another plus is the fairly priced plans. To sweeten the deal, you’re not risking wasting your money if first impressions aren’t satisfactory because there’s a 30-day refund window.
2. ExpressVPN
We got an Indian IP address by connecting to ExpressVPN’s virtual New Delhi server and instantly gained access to unlimited geo-blocked content.
The VPN’s exceptional unblocking delivered movies, TV shows, and live programs on YuppTV, JioTV, Hotstar, and move without any hassles. We hopped from stream to stream and encountered no blank screens or location error messages.
And because there aren’t any bandwidth limits or data caps to worry about, we could stream without interruptions. ExpressVPN is easily one of the fastest VPN services on the market. Combining speedy 10 Gbps servers with Lightway, its custom protocol, ensured there were no lags or pesky buffering.
The New Delhi server location aside, it also has servers in Chennai. As with NordVPN, all India-linked servers are virtual. They’re part of its collection comprising over 3,000 servers distributed across 105 countries.
ExpressVPN is compatible with a broad spectrum of devices, including computers, smartphones, and set-up boxes. It allows up to eight devices to be attached to a single subscription simultaneously.
Security-wise, the provider offers industry-standard features like AES 256-bit encryption to scramble your data and a kill switch. There’s also an ad-blocker that will improve your experience on Indian TV channel websites with intrusive ads. On top of that, ExpressVPN has a strict no-logs policy that has undergone multiple third-party tests.
The one major downside is its rather pricey subscription fees. Still, a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans allows you to see for yourself if the service is worth it.
3. Private Internet Access
Most VPN services on the market have a simultaneous connection cap. However, Private Internet Access lets you connect as many devices as you want on one account. That means your entire household could stream individually without an extra active subscription.
Its unblocking capabilities don’t quite match the other providers on this list, but we found that’s not an issue with Indian TV channels. Even though none of its streaming-optimized servers are Indian-based, the VPN effectively unblocked a line-up of local television channels and streaming services during our tests, including Netflix India.
When it comes to sheer volume, there’s no VPN provider anywhere close to PIA’s 30,000+ server network with locations in 91 countries. While size doesn’t necessarily indicate fast speeds, all PIA’s servers run 10 Gbps network connections. Consequently, you can expect smooth, stable speeds while streaming.
Try Private Internet Access Now
Based on its feature offerings, Private Internet Access is a security-focused VPN. It employs military-grade encryption to keep snoopers from looking in, protects your connections from IP and DNS leaks, and has a tweakable kill switch. While it operates under the United States privacy-unfriendly jurisdiction, the provider has proven that it doesn’t store personally identifiable logs on its servers.
Thanks to its affordable plans, PIA is a great choice if you’re on a tight budget. It also has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can make sure it’s the right fit before committing.
Why You Need a VPN to Stream Indian TV Channels Outside India
More people migrate out of India annually than the total number of residents in several countries. Now, combine that with how many Indians travel on work trips, visits, and vacations. The result? A massive population looking to stay connected with home through the news and entertainment.
Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as visiting the websites or apps of the TV channels you enjoyed back in India and clicking “Play” on a live stream. Even if you have an active subscription, geo-restrictions will stand in the way on many platforms. They protect licensing agreements that limit viewership to people physically present in the country.
Those services need convincing that you’re in India, and the only way to do that is by changing your IP address. There are a few ways to make the switch, but a VPN is easily the most reliable. While encrypting your online connection, it masks your original IP and assigns your device an Indian IP address, even if you’re actually outside the country.
As a result, you can get back to watching your favorite shows and programs on Indian TV channels and streaming services as if you’re physically there.
Of course, unleashing the full potential of a VPN for Indian content depends on choosing the right provider. They’re not all created equal, so an informed choice is essential for smooth streaming experiences.
How We Selected the Best VPNs for Watching Indian TV Abroad
What factors potentially qualify a VPN service to make the list above? Here are the most important metrics we considered while testing several providers to streamline your options:
- Indian Servers: Regardless of how highly rated a VPN is, you cannot watch live programs on geo-restricted Indian TV platforms if the provider doesn’t have Indian servers. So, we prioritized VPN services with robust global networks that include virtual Indian servers.
- Unblocking Prowess: Top priority went to VPNs that consistently bypass geo-restrictions and grant access to popular Indian TV channels (and streaming services) like Star Plus, Zee TV, and Sony Entertainment Television. We rigorously tested each VPN to ensure seamless access to your favorite content.
- Performance: A VPN shouldn’t slow down your internet connection enough to ruin your streaming. We conducted speed tests to identify VPNs that balance security and performance so you can enjoy smooth and enjoyable streaming experiences.
- Security & Privacy: We only recommend VPNs that use industry-standard encryption protocols like AES-256 to safeguard your data and keep your online activity private. What’s more, we watched out for a kill switch, leak protection, and other advanced and extra features that add layers to your security.
- Device Compatibility: For flexibility, we prioritized VPNs with user-friendly apps that support a wide range of devices you can watch Indian television on (including computers, smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and streaming devices).
Why We Skipped Physical Servers in India
Recent data privacy regulations in India have made operating physical servers risky for VPN providers and their customers. The CERT-in regulations mandate extensive user data logging, which contradicts the primary reasons for using a VPN — privacy and anonymity.
That’s why we focused on VPN services that have removed their physical servers from the country and now offer virtual servers. The servers are actually based elsewhere but keep your data outside India’s jurisdiction. Besides, you’ll still gain access to geo-restricted Indian websites and online services.
A few providers, like HMA (previously known as HideMyAss) and PrivateVPN, have maintained their physical servers in India despite the CERT-in rules. We don’t recommend using them when you’re in that country because they cannot guarantee your privacy.
Can You Stream Indian TV Channels With a Free VPN?
Probably, but the chances are slim. You see, free providers typically only offer small networks, either to nudge you into upgrading or because they cannot afford more servers. As a result, they focus on more popular VPN destinations, like the US and the UK. Bottom line: you’re unlikely to find a free VPN with Indian servers.
Limited server pools aside, there are other restrictions. For instance, they are usually painfully slow and may come with severe data caps or bandwidth limits, all of which are bound to result in frustrating streaming experiences.
Even worse, many free VPNs will extensively log your data for profit and may only offer subpar security features.
You’re much better off using quality premium VPN services. There are affordable options like PIA if pricing is a significant consideration.
Conclusion
No need to wait until you’re in India to keep up with the shows and live programs you’re interested in. A reliable VPN service can bypass geo-restrictions, allowing you to watch Indian TV channels from outside India. Just follow the simple guide in this article.
We’ve discussed three excellent providers to choose from. NordVPN is the top option thanks to its unrivaled quality and reliability. Want to check it out? It comes with a 30-day refund window, so you’d be doing so risk-free.
Watch Indian TV channels online with NordVPN
FAQs
Why can’t I access Indian TV channels directly from outside India?
Many Indian TV channels geo-restrict their content due to licensing agreements, so viewers outside India may face access blocks based on their IP address.
Do I need a subscription to watch Indian TV channels abroad?
A lot of Indian streaming platforms require a subscription or account, especially for premium content. However, some free content may also be available.
Can I watch Indian television on my phone, tablet, or smart TV?
Definitely! Most VPNs have apps compatible with smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and streaming devices, making it easy to watch Indian TV anywhere.
Q9: What should I do if my streaming service blocks my VPN?
Try switching to a different server within your VPN app or contact customer support. Top VPN providers regularly update their servers to bypass such blocks.