For places like Dubai, where call rates to India are at an average of Rs 16/minute, Indians are charged Rs 120/minute or 1.5 dirhams. There is more bad news. For incoming calls that have been free in India since May 2003, international travellers roaming in India are charged exorbitant rates and in some cases, as much as Rs 143/minute.

Similarly, Indians are subjected to an incoming tariff of Rs 75/minute in the US, Rs 27.60/minute in the UK, Rs 34/minute in Singapore and Rs 55/minute in Dubai.

This is in spite of the fact that with the exception of the US, most countries have a free incoming regime. SMSs face a similar pattern with each outgoing SMS charged at a whopping Rs 15. In addition, several of these already exorbitant tariffs are subjected to many taxes and levies.

``Rates are high, but not much can be done till Trai is able to negotiate global roaming agreements, at least for the Saarc countries,'' said T V Ramachandran of COAI, a body that represents GSM mobile operators, while the spokesman of Auspi -- which represents CDMA mobile operators -- declined to comment.

``We had asked the European Union four-five months ago to allow India to benefit from the EU roaming rate reductions, but there has been no response. International roaming tariffs need to be brought down,but it is not a subject that can be addressed by a single regulator,'' said N Misra, chairman, Trai, which is the Indian telecom regulator.