Indians can now use the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to make payments in seven countries. Following its launch in Sri Lanka and Mauritius, UPI payments are accepted in France, UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, and Nepal. After the announcement, MyGovIndia shared a world map, highlighting the countries where Indians can use UPI to make payments.
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Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
UPI is India’s mobile-based fast payment system, allowing customers to make instant payments round-the-clock using a Virtual Payment Address (VPA). Its popularity for retail digital payments in India is rapidly increasing. The Indian government aims to extend the benefits of UPI beyond India, making it available internationally.
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“UPI connects over 300 banks and enables seamless financial transactions through TPAP (third-party application providers) like Google Pay, Amazon Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm in partnership with banking providers,” said Mehul Mistry, Global Head – Strategy, Digital Financial Services & Partnerships, Wibmo, a PayU company.
UPI was launched by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in 2016 and has rapidly gained momentum. The widespread adoption of UPI underscores the urgent need for secure, efficient, and user-centric payment methods.
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List of countries where Unified Payments Interface can be used
1)Sri Lanka
India’s Unified Payment Interface (UPI) services were rolled out in Sri Lanka and Mauritius on 12 February during a virtual ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the top leadership of the two island nations.
2)Mauritius
India’s UPI services were rolled out in Mauritius on 12 February.
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3)France
Eiffel Tower is the first merchant to offer UPI payments in France, and the service will soon be extended to other merchants in the tourism and retail space across France and Europe. The announcement was made in Paris at an event organised by the Indian Embassy in France to celebrate India’s Republic Day.
4)UAE
NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) partnered with Mashreq, one of the leading financial institutions in the UAE, to offer acceptance of UPI in the UAE in August 2021.
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5)Singapore
6)Bhutan
Bhutan was the first country to adopt UPI in 2021.
7)Nepal
In February 2022, Nepal became the first country to deploy UPI as a payment platform outside India.
