The Indian culture is incredibly diverse and colorful in every way. It’s literally a rainbow of food, language, and TV that is hard to find in other places around the world.
Given the richness of Indian life, it is understandable that ex-pats or visitors to the U.S. want to stay as connected as possible to their culture, even from afar.
Unfortunately, I can’t help you with recipes for delicious ethnic Indian food, but if you miss hearing your shows in Hindi, or are craving your South Asian favorites, I can help show you the best ways to watch Indian TV, even from the other side of the world.
The best, most simple way to unblock any Indian streaming service is by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
In a Hurry? Here's How to Watch Indian Channels in USA
Yes, it’s that easy. Following these steps, you can easily unblock Hotstar outside India and many other Indian streaming channels that would otherwise be inaccessible.
Best Indian TV Channels to Watch in the USA with a VPN
This pretty extensive list (below) gives you some of the best Indian TV channels for watching Indian TV in the U.S. Many of these local South Indian TV channels and cable channels are free to watch in India, but can only be accessed in the U.S. with a VPN. There are tons of channels and packages to choose from:
Voot
YuppTV
Jadoo TV
Sling TV packages
Dish TV packages
Hotstar USA packages
Star Channels/Star Sports Package
Colors TV Channels
My Indian TV packages
News Channels
Aaj Tak etc
Vijay TV
Dishworld IPTV
Willow TV
Jio TV
Sun TV
Zee5 TV
SonyLiv
Netflix India packages
Why Do You Need a VPN to Watch Indian TV Channels Outside of India?
On the Indian networks, many of the entertainment options are freely available to those who are located within India. There are ways to watch Indian television and Hindi-language favorites for viewers outside of India, but they need a VPN to access them.
Content distributors and owners have licensing agreements that determine the geographic restrictions of their content. So, streaming platforms limit the areas where they can broadcast shows based on these agreements.
Because the Indian shows are not licensed to be shown in the USA, a VPN can be used to disguise your actual IP address and replace it with an IP address in the country that you want appear to be in. So, with a VPN, you will be able to stream Indian shows for free as if you are sitting in Mumbai.
3 Best VPNs to Stream Indian Channels in USA
With a ton of VPN options out there, I’ve done the research and come up with a list of the top three VPN service choices to help you watch Indian TV shows and packages from the US:
1. ExpressVPN
No matter how much research I do, ExpressVPN is always at the top of my list. With super-fast speeds and over 3,000 servers, plenty of which are located in India, Express delivered buffer-free, lag-free streaming quality for all of the Indian shows I watched.
Express is one of the more versatile of VPNS, compatible with Xbox, Roku, Smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV and Fire Stick, Google Chromecast, and various set-top box options.
Express will get you watching Indian TV in no time, no matter which TV providers you choose, or which of the dozens of viewing packages to choose from. You can also watch other international services like BBC iPlayer, Voot, or even BT Sport from the US.
If you are looking for viewing options for your whole family, Express allows you to connect up to 5 simultaneous devices with one account, so you can be watching shows on Yupp TV, Hindi TV, and Star Channels, all at once.
If you are using this VPN service for the added benefit of its top-notch security features, you would be in good company. All traffic is secured by 256-bit encryption and DNS leak-protections, as well as a no-logs policy.
- Lightening-fast streaming
- Five simultaneous connections
- 30-day cancellation period
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Works with various steaming apps
- 24/7 live chat
- One of the most costly VPN providers
2. NordVPN
While Express is consistently at the top, NordVPN is never far behind. Nord has a gigantic server network, with 21 of its 5,500 servers in India.
When I tested them, Nord’s speeds were consistently impressive, with no buffering or lag and super quick connectivity.
NordVPN apps are available for Xbox, Roku, Apple TV, other Smart TVs, set-top box, desktop, iPhones, and many other platform options.
Security is solid with 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch. There is also an ad-blocker and anti-malware defense, as well as a verified no-logs policy.
In case you are not sold on Nord, its 30-day money-back guarantee gives you a way to try out its VPN for free.
- Many server options
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Up to 6 simultaneous connections
- Streams South Indian & news channels
- Not as fast as ExpressVPN
3. Surfshark
Surfshark has over 1,700 servers worldwide with plenty of server options in India. It offers unlimited bandwidth and great speed, so streaming Indian TV in the US is always free of any buffering or lag.
This VPN service is compatible with Roku, Smart TVs, desktop, iPhones, and many other device options.
All traffic is secured with 256-bit AES-encryption, as well as IPV leak protection, an internet kill switch, and a no-logs policy.
Aside from being a fast, reliable, and highly recommended service, Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous connections on one user account.
Like NordVPN and Express, Surfshark gives you the option to essentially test this VPN out for free with a 30-day money-back guarantee, and its 24/7 live-chat customer service has never let me down.
- Unlimited simultaneous connections
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Most Affordable VPN
- Works with many Indian TV providers
- The slower of the top VPNs
Can I Use a Free VPN to Stream Indian Channels Abroad?
Free VPNs don’t usually offer servers in India. Since you need an Indian IP address to stream Indian shows, it is unlikely that you’ll be able to find a stable connection through a free provider.
Further, free VPNs are known to be far from “free.” They often make money bombarding users with advertisements, introducing malware to devices, or selling your private information to third parties.
To protect your digital footprint, we highly advise paying the subscription fee for a reputable, vetted VPN provider like the ones we’ve recommended in this article.
Best Indian TV Shows
Here are some of the most popular Indian TV Serials that can be streamed on your computer, smart tv, or device:
Ye Rishta Kia Kehlata hai
Kullfi Kumarr Bajewala
Nazar
Divya Dristi
Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi
Suryaputra Karn
FAQs
Roku does not work globally, so if you live outside the US, you will need a VPN for it to work. Roku is a great option for many reasons, one of which is that there are no long-term contracts for subscribers.
Watching Hindi channels like YuppTV on Roku is my go-to choice because you can stream TV in many ways. Roku allows us to pause live TV, watch from the beginning, or watch on-demand.
The best part – there are no long-term contracts, so you can cancel whenever you want.
Conclusion
Visiting or living in America doesn’t have to mean giving up the beauty and comforts of the Indian culture. Watching Indian TV channels abroad is literally as simple as signing up for a VPN. So, if you are feeling homesick, and are in the mood to binge Indian movies, check out ExpressVPN (our top choice) or my other top picks for safe effective VPNs, and stream away.
