How to Get an Indian SIP Number for Your AI Voice Agent: A Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

As AI voice agents become more sophisticated, businesses in India are increasingly looking to integrate them into their customer service and sales workflows. However, the Indian telecom landscape is unique and strictly regulated by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

If you are building an AI voice agent (using platforms like Vapi, Retell, or Bland AI) and want to call Indian customers, you cannot simply use any virtual number. High answer rates and legal compliance depend on getting a proper Indian SIP Number.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the types of numbers available, the regulatory requirements, and how to set up your SIP trunk for AI calling.

Why You Need a Local Indian Number

Using an international number to call Indian customers is a recipe for failure.

1. Low Answer Rates: Customers are wary of international codes (+1, +44, etc.) and often ignore them.
2. Trust: A local number (+91) or a dedicated service series (140/160) signals legitimacy.
3. Regulations: TRAI has strict rules against using "regular" 10-digit mobile numbers for automated commercial calling.

Understanding the Numbering Series

In 2024 and 2025, TRAI introduced new numbering series to help consumers identify the nature of calls. Choosing the right series is critical for your AI agent.

1. The 140-Series (Promotional Calls)

If your AI agent is making cold calls or promotional offers, you must use a number from the 140-series.

• Purpose: Sales, marketing, and promotions.
• Restriction: Calls can only be made between 9 AM and 9 PM.
• DND: These numbers are strictly blocked for users registered on the National Customer Preference Register (NCPR).

2. The 160-Series (Service & Transactional)

Reserved for essential service calls and transactions.

• Purpose: Order confirmations, flight updates, appointment reminders, and account alerts.
• Benefit: Can reach customers even if they are on the Do Not Disturb (DND) list, provided they have a relationship with your business.

3. The 1600-Series (BFSI & Government)

Specifically for Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) entities. If you are a fintech company, this is the series you will eventually need to adopt by 2026.

How to Get an Indian SIP Number (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Choose a SIP Provider

You need a cloud telephony provider that offers SIP trunking and is compliant with Indian laws. Popular options include:

• Exotel
• Tata Communications
• Airtel Business
• Reliance Jio

Step 2: KYC Documentation

India has rigorous Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements. You will typically need to provide:

• Certificate of Incorporation (GSTR/COI).
• PAN Card of the company.
• Identity and Address proof of the authorized signatory.
• A letter of authorization.

Step 3: Register Your Entity on DLT

Before you can make calls, you must register your business on the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) platform of any major Indian telecom operator. This is mandatory for tracking and monitoring commercial communications.

Step 4: Configure SIP Trunking with Your AI Agent

Once you have your SIP credentials (IP, Port, Username, Password) from the provider, you can connect them to your AI voice platform.

For Vapi/Retell Users:

1. Go to your provider's dashboard (e.g., Exotel).
2. Create a SIP Trunk and white-list the IP addresses of your AI platform.
3. In your AI platform’s dashboard, add a "Custom SIP" or "BYOC" (Bring Your Own Carrier) provider.
4. Input the SIP URI provided by your Indian carrier.

TRAI Compliance Checklist for AI Agents

To avoid fines or being blacklisted, ensure your AI agent follows these rules:

• AI Disclosure: You must state at the beginning of the call that the user is speaking to an AI assistant.
• Purpose of Call: Clearly state why you are calling.
• Opt-out Mechanism: Provide a way for the user to opt-out of future calls.
• DND Scrubbing: For 140-series calls, you must scrub your call list against the NCPR database daily.

The Reality: Why It's Difficult to Get an Indian SIP Number

If you've tried obtaining an Indian SIP number on your own, you already know it’s not as simple as clicking a button. The combination of rigorous KYC audits, mandatory DLT registration, and the strict 140/160 series categorization often leads to weeks of delays, rejected applications, and technical configuration headaches.

For many businesses, navigating the labyrinth of TRAI regulations is the single biggest hurdle to launching an AI voice agent in India.

We Make It Easy for You

At MAiCaller, we believe technology should be a bridge, not a barrier. We’ve streamlined the entire process to save you from the regulatory paperwork and technical complexity.

Why struggle with the setup when we can handle it for you?

• Guided KYC & DLT: We walk you through every step of the registration.
• Pre-Configured SIP Trunks: Get a compliant Indian number that works out of the box with your AI agent.
• Compliance by Design: We ensure your agents follow 2025 TRAI guidelines from day one.

Need an Indian SIP phone number for your AI agent? Contact us today and let our team handle the heavy lifting.

Conclusion

Getting an Indian SIP number for your AI voice agent is more than just a technical setup—it's about building trust and staying compliant. While the process involves paperwork and terminology like "DLT" and "160-series," the reward is a professional, high-performing voice automation system that Indian customers will actually answer.

Ready to deploy your AI voice agent in India? Check out MAiCaller’s specialized AI calling solutions and let us simplify your connectivity.