How to Watch Indian TV Abroad – Channel Streaming Guide 2024

At a Glance

Bollywood and other shows and movies are available on Hotstar and other streaming and TV services. Alternative streaming services, like Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix, are also available.

Sadly, India-based TV content is usually only available when you’re actually in India, not outside of its borders. No matter whether you’re an expat, on vacation or on a business trip, everyone outside of India is barred from Indian TV. Indian TV channels put limits on their video content, restricting access only to viewers located within the country. You’ll need an Indian IP address if you want to get around these roadblocks.

Can a VPN Help Me Watch Indian TV from Abroad

Thankfully, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are around to help you. By connecting to a VPN server in India, you can get a new, temporary Indian IP address, granting you access to all of the Indian content you crave.

While there are dozens upon dozens of VPNs floating around out there, only one can be the best for accessing Indian premium content. In this article, I’ll explain the virtual roadblocks you face and the best VPN to save your TV viewing sessions.

Unfortunately, if you’re abroad, you’re barred from accessing India-specific content.

However, hope is not lost. A VPN can give you an Indian IP address, which will make the internet (and TV streaming providers) think you’re actually in India, even if you’re a world away.

The best possible VPN to use to get that IP address and access Indian TV content is Surfshark.

Surfshark offers fast connections and servers all over the globe, including in India. Its multi-platform support will allow you to watch TV from most devices, and its strong security and privacy protections will keep you safe while you do it.

Surfshark offers a risk-free, 30-day money-back guarantee.

Why Do Indian Streaming Services Ban International Viewers?

It doesn’t matter if you have a subscription to an India-based TV service. If you’re outside the country’s borders, the content will be blocked.

But TV content providers’ hands are tied. In order to get the content they provide, they sign agreements with TV and movie content producers that state that only viewers within the country may have access to the content.

Why do they do this? It’s because they make more money that way. If viewers in Australia, Cambodia, the U.K. and other places could all access that content in one place – India – then those movie and TV studios wouldn’t be able to make a buck selling their content in multiple countries.

Another fact comes into play. Restrictive governments want to keep their citizens from accessing certain kinds of political, religious, or other kinds of content that may “corrupt” their minds, so keeping TV content outside of their borders is one of their prerogatives.

How Geo-Restrictions Work

All internet-connected devices are given an IP address when they connect to the internet. It doesn’t matter if it’s a toaster – if it can connect to the internet, it gets an IP address.

An IP address acts as an identifier for the device, allowing the internet to know where a request came from and where a response should be sent to. It’s similar to a home address, which allows the postal service to know where to send packages.

Unfortunately, because IP addresses vary by country, they also reveal a user’s physical location.

When a streaming platform sees where you’re located, it can decide whether or not to allow you to access its stream content. If you’re not located in the right region, you’ll be left out.

How Can I View Indian TV If It’s Blocked?

Thankfully, there’s good news.

You can regain access to Indian TV content while abroad by using a Virtual Private Network. A VPN can “spoof” your IP address, making it seem like you’re in India even if you’re in the U.K. or elsewhere.

To do this, you simply need to connect to one of a VPN’s servers located physically or virtually in India. (More about the differences a bit later.) BAM! Once you connect, you’ll be given a temporary Indian IP address, which will open up a world of Bollywood movies and other Indian content for you to enjoy.

However, you’ll be happy to know that you can get more out of a VPN than just accessing content in India. A VPN has a number of uses, which I’d like to let you know about.

A VPN can also access other types of streaming content (like music), as well as gaming servers and content, financial services, and other sites and services that may be blocked from where you are.

A VPN also encrypts your internet connection, keeping it safe from the prying eyes of governments, Internet Service Providers, and hackers. No matter what you’re doing, it will be impossible for an outside observer to monitor.

Because of this encryption, VPNs make public WiFi hotspots safe. Hackers often like to flock to WiFi hotspots because they’re often unsecure, and users are sitting ducks. But, if you use a VPN, you’ll be able to use the hotspot safely.

Internet Service Providers aren’t exactly friendly to certain types of online activities, like file sharing and downloading of certain content. They often try to throttle your connection speeds if you try to engage in these activities. By using a VPN, an ISP can’t tell what you’re up to, and can’t throttle your internet connection.

Which VPN Is the Best for Accessing Indian TV?

Most VPN providers used to be able to supply the ability to access blocked content in other countries.

That was before streaming providers wisened up, noticing that viewers in other countries were accessing international content. Nowadays, streaming services (such as Hotstar) block VPN-provided IP addresses.

That means that VPNs have to stay at the top of their game, replacing IP addresses as soon as they’re blocked. It takes a lot of resources to play this game of virtual whack-a-mole, and not every VPN provider is keen to play the game.

However, one VPN has worked tirelessly to provide its users with continued access to international content, and that provider is Surfshark.

Surfshark

Surfshark is your best bet for a reliable and quality VPN provider for regaining access to Indian TV while abroad.

The provider is capable not only of accessing Indian TV content, but also many other streaming services. Its global server coverage is large, and its internet speeds are some of the fastest around. Privacy and security features are assured, as are quality customer support and extensive multi-platform support.

Read the full Surfshark review here.

1. Connection Speed

With so much of our lives conducted on our devices these days, good connection speeds are critical.

Surfshark’s connection speeds are quite fast, averaging download speeds in the low three figures. This means the provider delivers reliable connections to Indian TV content in HD and 4K with no buffering or stuttering. Gaming is no problem, either, and sharing large files is a quick experience.

The lack of bandwidth limitations and daily or monthly data caps mean there’s no limit to how long you can connect and conduct your favorite activities.

2. Multi-Platform App Support

These days, most people have multiple devices at home – their tablet, computer, phone, and even an internet-connected refrigerator. This makes multi-platform support an important consideration when evaluating a VPN provider.

Surfshark has most popular devices covered, with native VPN apps available for iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, Linux, Android TV, and Amazon Fire device platforms. There are also browser extensions for the Chrome, Edge, and Firefox browsers, as well as router support for most popular routers.

An unlimited number of devices can be connected simultaneously on a single set of login credentials.

3. Customer Support

Although it’s unlikely, you may have a question you want to ask customer support. Thankfully, Surfshark has you covered with always-available options.

24/7 live chat, email support, and a searchable support library are all available if you need them.

4. Global Server Coverage

The provider has servers stationed in India, as well as virtual servers that are actually located outside of India, which are exempt from India’s laws on VPNs and Internet Service Providers.

Surfshark has 3,200+ servers located in 100+ countries around the world, allowing you access to content all over the globe.

5. Privacy & Security

Surfshark keeps its customers’ connections well-protected, thanks to its use of banking-grade 256-bit AES encryption, an automatic kill switch, DNS leak protection, ad and tracking blocking, and malware and phishing protections.

The provider’s strict no-server-logs-ever policy means there are no records of your VPN usage to come back and bite you later. The provider also offers a privacy-friendly Bitcoin payment option. Plus, the provider now runs all of its servers 100% from RAM. This means all data is automatically and securely erased when a Surfshark server is rebooted or shut down.

6. Pricing

If there were a contest for the lowest subscription prices for a VPN service, Surfshark would be a top contender. The provider’s subscription prices leave plenty of money in your billfold for subscribing to Indian TV streaming services.

Surfshark offers a no-risk, 30-day money-back guarantee.

Visit Surfshark.

Methodology for Assessing VPNs to Watch Indian TV from Abroad

Internet users around the globe are limited in what content they can access, due to geographical content restrictions, this includes content that is intended only for viewers in India. Plus, internet users everywhere face various online dangers.

This means that there are several features to consider before deciding on a VPN to watch Indian TV from abroad while also protecting your online activities:

• Global server network: A large global server network, provides optimal access to IP addresses and geo-fenced content around the globe. Also, look for a provider with multiple servers in the countries it serves, as it reduces the chances that a server will be hit by too many users at once.
• Connection speeds: Whatever you enjoy doing online, a fast internet connection is your friend. The VPNs on this list provide connections fast enough to handle just about any of your online pastimes.
• Value: A VPN’s true value can be easily determined by comparing its asking price to the services it offers. The VPNs on my list offer an excellent return on investment.
• Ease of use: A VPN should be easy-to-use for popular device platforms. The VPNs on my list offer intuitive apps for popular connected devices.
• Security and privacy: A VPN should keep its users’ online activities undercover with military-grade encryption, a kill switch, and DNS/IP leak prevention. A strict no-logs policy is also a must-have. The providers on my list provide comprehensive online security and privacy.
• Streaming: This article is all about streaming, and streaming is one of the most popular online activities. Most of the VPNs on my lists offer access to numerous popular streaming sites, including streaming services in India, as well as Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and many others.

This is just a bit of my overall VPN testing methodology. My research does not end with what’s listed above. This data-driven approach allows me to rank these VPNs, which helps my readers to make an informed VPN buying decision.

How to Stream from India While Abroad FAQs