NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), had signed an agreement with QNB, the largest financial institution in the Middle East and Africa, headquartered in Qatar, to launch QR code-based Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments across the Gulf nation.
It was stated that this would enable UPI payment acceptance in Qatar through the QNB merchant network, benefiting Indian travelers visiting and transiting through the country.
Anubhav Sharma, Deputy Chief - Partnerships and Business Development at NPCI International, had said in a statement that they believed enabling UPI acceptance in Qatar would offer substantial benefits to the large number of Indians visiting the country, simplifying their transactions, and ensuring a hassle-free travel experience abroad.
It was mentioned that this partnership would provide Indian tourists the option to use their preferred payment method across retail stores, tourist attractions, leisure sites, duty-free shops, and hotels.
Adel Ali Al-Malki, Senior Executive VP, QNB Group Retail Banking, had stated that with this new digital payment solution acceptance, they were revolutionising the way transactions were conducted, enhancing the travel experience like never before.
It was also highlighted that by adopting UPI payments, merchants in Qatar would be able to offer a faster and more convenient payment and checkout process.
Meanwhile, NPCI International Payments Limited also has partnered with Network International, a prominent digital commerce company in the Middle East and Africa, to support UPI expansion. This collaboration aims to enable smooth shopping experiences for Indians at UAE merchants, whether they are travelling to the UAE or are NRIs residing there. They will now have the ability to make UPI payments by scanning QR codes using Point of Sale machines.
Ritesh Shukla, CEO of NPCI International said that the increasing acceptance of UPI payments among UAE merchants will be convenient not only for Indian travellers but also, it will promote innovative digital payment solutions at the international level.
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Inputs from IANS
