Apple Inc. is in discussions with key banks and card networks in preparation to start Apple Pay in India, that too on UPI.
The iPhone maker is in talks with ICICI Bank Ltd., HDFC Bank Ltd. and Axis Bank Ltd., as it aims to introduce its payment service in India around the middle of 2026, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The timeline remains fluid, but the talks indicate an approaching launch.
Apple Pay in India is expected to support India’s state-backed Unified Payments Interface (UPI) alongside card-based payments. Discussions are on with Visa Inc. and Mastercard Inc., said the people on condition of anonymity.
Apple declined to comment. The National Payments Corporation of India, which operates and manages UPI, didn’t respond to request for comment. Banks, and Mastercard and Visa didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Apple Pay in India
The planned launch marks another step in Apple’s push to expand in the country of 1.4 billion people with a rapidly expanding middle class. While iPhone’s market share is still small in a region dominated by Android devices, Apple’s increased manufacturing and retail presence in India has helped it make inroads.
Rival Alphabet Inc.’s Google Pay and Walmart Inc.’s PhonePe are among the global players already on UPI, alongside homegrown players like Paytm.
In late 2025, the Reserve Bank of India set new rules that allow biometric authentication, such as fingerprint or facial recognition, for digital payments. Indian authentication mechanisms have previously largely relied on one-time passwords sent via text message.
Apple Pay relies on Face ID or Touch ID to approve payments.
UPI in India
With more than 750 million smartphone users on cheap mobile data and a state-backed push, India is one of the world’s fastest-growing digital payments markets, serving as a potential gateway for Apple to grow services revenue in the region. The company is known to take a cut of Apple Pay transactions.
Given the prevalence of mobile payments in the region, an Apple Pay launch could boost demand for its hardware. The feature is built into Apple Watches, iPhones, iPads and Macs. Apple has steadily increased its market share to about 10% of India’s smartphone sales, leaving it significant room for further growth.
Apple in India
Apple is also using India as a key production base to export iPhones to the US, diversifying its manufacturing footprint away from China. The move has helped shield customers in its home market from price markups due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on China.
At the same time, it’s rapidly expanding its retail presence in India. It opened its sixth store, a location in Mumbai, this week. Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook has frequently said that India sales are growing quickly, making the market a key lever for its overall growth.
