Apple is reportedly in discussions with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to bring Apple Pay to the country. The tech giant has had preliminary talks and is now firming up the plans to launch a localized version of its digital payments app in India.
According to IANS, iPhone users in India may soon be able to scan QR codes and make payments through the unified payments interface (UPI) using Apple Pay, similar to other popular digital payment apps.
The details of the discussions and the potential launch timeline have not been disclosed, and both Apple and NPCI have refrained from commenting on the matter.
India has a thriving innovation ecosystem, with the UPI being one of its notable achievements. UPI has become a widely-used platform for digital transactions in the country, accounting for 75% of retail digital transactions in the past year. The NPCI expects UPI transactions to reach 1 billion per day by 2026-27, highlighting its immense popularity.
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Apple Pay provides a convenient, secure, and private way to make payments using Apple devices such as iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. Users can add their credit, debit, or prepaid cards from participating banks and card issuers to the Apple Pay app.
While Apple Pay is already available in several countries, including some in the Asia-Pacific region, the launch in India would further expand its reach and provide users with more options for digital payments.
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In addition to Apple Pay, the tech giant introduced the Pay Later service earlier this year in the United States. This service allows users to split their purchases into four payments with no interest or fees, providing flexibility in managing their finances.
The potential arrival of Apple Pay in India is an exciting development that could offer a seamless and secure payment experience for iPhone users in the country. As discussions progress, more details are expected to emerge about the launch plans and features specific to the Indian market.
Inputs from IANS
