TL; DR
- Initially, Apple Pay could prioritize card-based contactless payments via NFC (Near-Field Communication).
- Apple understands that its payment service won’t succeed in India unless it uses the UPI protocol, and hence it’s not ignoring UPI integration entirely.
- Apple’s foray into the Indian digital payments sector follows the UPI integration in Samsung Wallet (October 2025), which now supports both NFC and UPI transactions.
The Cupertino-based tech giant Apple is finally rumored to launch its mobile payment service — Apple Pay — in the Indian market. Even though the country’s digital payments market (quite large) is dominated by homegrown apps (like PhonePe, Paytm, and BHIM), several international players, including Google and Samsung, have been part of it.
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Card-Based Tap-To-Pay Transactions To Lead Launch
Initially, Apple Pay could prioritize card-based contactless payments via NFC (Near-Field Communication). Users should be able to add their Indian-issued credit or debit cards to their Apple Wallet and use the “tap-to-pay” feature at the point-of-sale terminal at shopping centers, fuel stations, restaurants, movie theaters, etc.
UPI Integration Could Follow Next
For those wondering about UPI integration, that’s definitely on the cards. However, Apple Pay might not support the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) technology at launch. To be compatible with the Indian digital payments protocol, the company must fulfil complex regulatory requirements, including obtaining a Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP) license.
Apple understands that its payment service won’t succeed in India unless it uses the UPI protocol, and hence it’s not ignoring UPI integration entirely.
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For now, the company is in active discussions with global card networks such as Visa and Mastercard, as well as Indian regulators, to finalize the commercial terms and fee structures.
Major Rival Already Offers UPI Support Via Its Payment Service
Apple’s foray into the Indian digital payments sector follows the UPI integration in Samsung Wallet (October 2025), which now supports both NFC and UPI transactions. Furthermore, the company has seen record growth in its hardware sector in the Indian market.
In other words, it has a vast user base in the country, and even a significant fraction of it has started using Apple Pay; that would be enough to solidify the company’s commitment to it and build upon its service from an India-centric approach.
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Although there’s no tentative launch timeline yet, industry sources claim that the service will go official in India by the end of 2026. Apple could tie the announcement to one of its key hardware launch events, but that remains conjecture at the moment.
What Would Change With Apple Pay’s Arrival?
Apple Pay’s arrival in India would simplify payments across the Apple ecosystem by enabling quick and secure digital payments using iPhone and Apple Watch. It should also streamline in-app and online checkouts with biometric authentication.
It would boost contactless card usage, improve security through tokenisation, and encourage wider NFC adoption among merchants. If the Unified Payments Interface integration goes ahead, Apple Pay could become a central, everyday payments hub in India.
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