India, June 17 -- India's leading private telecom operators are resisting calls for a wider range of standalone voice and SMS recharge plans, reopening a debate over affordability and digital inclusion in one of the world's largest mobile markets.

Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi) have opposed proposals to expand prepaid plans offering only voice and SMS benefits, arguing that such offerings are commercially and technically impractical in today's telecom environment. The issue has gained attention following discussions involving the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), which has been examining whether consumers should have access to cheaper, data-free recharge options.

The disagreement highlights a broader chal...