Apple is preparing to bring Apple Pay to India as the company seeks regulatory approvals and finalizes partnerships with global card networks including Mastercard and Visa. According to Business Standard, the launch could take place by the end of 2026, marking Apple Pay’s entry into its 90th market worldwide.
The rollout is expected to happen in phases, beginning with card-based contactless payments using near-field communication (NFC) technology. This will allow users to store Indian-issued credit and debit cards in Apple Wallet and make tap-to-pay transactions at retail terminals. Integration with India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is not part of the initial launch, as Apple has yet to pursue a Third-Party Application Provider license.
Even before its domestic debut, Apple Pay’s presence has been growing through cross-border payments. Razorpay and Cashfree began enabling Apple Pay for international transactions with Indian merchants in late 2025. Akasa Air has also started accepting Apple Pay for international flight bookings, showcasing rising backend readiness within Indian businesses.
Apple’s move comes as it deepens its foothold in India, one of the company’s fastest-growing markets. iPhone shipments reached record highs in 2025 with a market share around 9–10 percent, while exports crossed Rs 2 trillion. Analysts say the growing iPhone base provides a strong foundation for Apple to scale local services like Apple Pay.
However, competition will be intense in India’s digital payments space, where UPI handles over 80 percent of transactions and incumbents such as PhonePe and Google Pay dominate. Samsung Wallet, with existing UPI integration, also poses an early challenge to Apple’s ambitions.
