In February 2026, it was reported that Apple is in talks with leading Indian banks to introduce its Apple Pay service in India. After that, no further update was shared on this matter.
Recently, folks at Business Standard shared a new report that revealed the launch timeline for Apple Pay’s debut in India and its initial rollout plans.
Apple Pay expected to launch soon in India
According to the report, Apple Pay could launch by late September or October in India. It is said that initially the service will support Visa and Mastercard credit cards. The first phase is expected to enable contactless card payments through compatible iPhones and Apple Watches at NFC-enabled point-of-sale terminals.
Users will presumably be able to add eligible cards to Apple Wallet and authenticate payments using Apple’s existing security features.
Will Apple Pay support UPI?
Reportedly, the service is not expected to support UPI at launch as Apple still needs approval from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), as well as a sponsor bank partnership, to support UPI transactions.
It is said that Apple is currently negotiating the fee it would receive from card issuers. Apple is seeking around 15-20 basis points from each transaction, while some banks have proposed 10 basis points.
Once the company reaches a final settlement and completes other needful steps, it may announce the launch of this payment service in India. Apple Pay’s launch in India could make contactless credit payments more convenient for Apple users in the country.
Stay tuned for all the latest tech updates!
