Configuring your Twilio account to send SMS messages to customers in India requires compliance with TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) guidelines and proper integration of Twilio’s messaging services with your website. Follow this step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Set Up a Twilio Account

1. Sign Up for Twilio:
   • Go to Twilio and create an account.
   • Verify your email address and phone number.
2. Upgrade to a Paid Account:
   • Add a payment method to remove the trial limitations and access full services.

Step 2: Register Your Business on a DLT Platform

Indian regulations require businesses to register on a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) platform to send SMS messages.

1. Choose a DLT Platform:
   • Register your business on one of the approved DLT platforms, such as:
     • Airtel DLT: DLT Registration – Airtel
     • Jio DLT: DLT Registration – Jio
     • Vodafone Idea DLT: DLT Registration – Vodafone Idea
2. Register Your Business Details:
   • Submit your business name, PAN details, proof of address, and other required documents.
3. Register Your Sender ID:
   • Alphanumeric Sender IDs (e.g., MYBRAND) are used for transactional SMS.
   • Numeric Sender IDs are used for promotional SMS.
4. Approve Message Templates:
   • Submit your SMS message templates for DLT approval.
   • Ensure templates comply with TRAI regulations.

Step 3: Set Up Messaging Service in Twilio

1. Log in to Your Twilio Console:
   • Access the Twilio console at Twilio Console.
2. Create a Messaging Service:
   • Navigate to the Messaging Services section.
   • Click Create Messaging Service and name it (e.g., “India SMS Service”).
3. Configure Sender IDs or Numbers:
   • Add your DLT-registered Sender ID or Indian phone number under the Sender Pool tab.
   • Verify that the Sender ID matches your approved DLT registration.
4. Enable Geographic Permissions:
   • Under Geographic Permissions, ensure SMS is enabled for India.

Step 4: Configure Your Website for SMS

1. Generate Twilio API Credentials:
   • In the Twilio console, navigate to the Account Settings to get your Account SID and Auth Token.
   • Use these credentials to authenticate API calls.
2. Integrate the Twilio SMS API:
   • Add Twilio’s SDK or REST API to your website backend.
   • Example code for sending SMS in Python:
   from twilio.rest import Client # Twilio credentials account_sid = 'your_account_sid' auth_token = 'your_auth_token' client = Client(account_sid, auth_token) # Send an SMS message = client.messages.create( body="Hello! Your OTP is 123456.", from_='your_sender_id_or_twilio_number', to='+91XXXXXXXXXX' # Indian customer's phone number ) print(f"Message sent with SID: {message.sid}")
3. Set Up Message Templates:
   • Use the DLT-approved templates for transactional or promotional SMS.

Step 5: Test SMS Delivery

1. Send Test Messages:
   • Use the Twilio console or your integrated API to send test SMS to Indian numbers.
   • Ensure the messages adhere to the approved DLT templates.
2. Check Delivery Reports:
   • Review Twilio’s logs to verify successful delivery.
   • Navigate to Messaging Insights in the Twilio console for detailed reports.

Step 6: Monitor and Optimize Messaging

1. Monitor SMS Performance:
   • Use Twilio’s Messaging Insights to track delivery rates, failures, and costs.
2. Handle Failed Messages:
   • Implement fallback logic for retries or alternative delivery methods.
3. Scale Your Messaging:
   • For high-volume messaging, consider enabling Twilio’s Advanced Opt-Out Management to handle opt-out requests efficiently.

Key Considerations

1. Compliance:
   • Adhere to TRAI guidelines for SMS categorization:
     • Transactional SMS: Sent via alphanumeric Sender IDs for important alerts (e.g., OTPs).
     • Promotional SMS: Sent via numeric Sender IDs for marketing messages (only to opted-in customers).
2. Cost:
   • Sending SMS to Indian numbers incurs costs based on Twilio’s pricing:
     • ~$0.02 (approx ₹1.50) per SMS sent to Indian numbers.
   • Review Twilio’s SMS Pricing for India.

Summary of Steps:

1. Set up a Twilio account and upgrade to a paid plan.
2. Register your business and Sender IDs on a DLT platform.
3. Configure Twilio’s messaging services for India.
4. Integrate the Twilio SMS API with your website backend.
5. Test and monitor SMS delivery to Indian numbers.

By following these steps, you can successfully configure your Twilio account to send SMS messages to customers in India.

Rajesh Kumar

I’m a DevOps/SRE/DevSecOps/Cloud Expert passionate about sharing knowledge and experiences. I am working at Cotocus. I blog tech insights at DevOps School, travel stories at Holiday Landmark, stock market tips at Stocks Mantra, health and fitness guidance at My Medic Plus, product reviews at I reviewed , and SEO strategies at Wizbrand. 

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