Last updated: 1 June 2025
When you are going on a trip to India, be sure to pack the appropriate travel plug adapter that fits the local sockets. But what do those electrical outlets look like? India has standardized on the type D plug and socket system (for small devices) and on the type M system (for heavy appliances). These two systems were the standard in Great Britain before 1947.
Just like in most parts of the world, the voltage in India is 230 volts and the frequency is 50 Hz.
When electricity was introduced in India, it was still a British colony and consequently it adopted the then British plug and socket standards: type D and type M. After India had achieved independence in 1947, it continued to use these plug and socket systems. Around that time, however, the United Kingdom (and its then colonies) started the transition to a new, safer plug standard (type G), which explains why former British colonies that gained their independence a decade or more after India use the current British standard.
Type C plugs are also frequently used in India, since they often used to come with imported appliances. They are —more or less— compatible with type D sockets; the connection may be a bit unstable and sometimes unsafe, but the combination works relatively well. Because of the safety hazards, the Indian government has forbidden the import of appliances without a proper D or M plug.
