Apple is in advanced talks with major banks and global card networks to bring Apple Pay to India, potentially by mid 2026 — a move that could significantly expand the iPhone maker’s footprint in the world’s most populous country.
Talks ongoing for Apple Pay in India
For a plan long on the drawing board as Apple continues to expand manufacturing and retail in the region, the iPhone giant took up discussions with major financial players as it works toward an Indian launch of its payments platform Apple Pay, according to Bloomberg. Apple is in talks with ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank, as well as payment networks Mastercard and Visa. Representatives for the banks and card networks did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Apple declined to comment.
UPI support planned alongside card payments
One of the most significant aspects of the planned rollout is that Apple Pay in India is expected to support the Unified Payments Interface — the state-backed payment system known as UPI — alongside traditional card-based transactions. UPI allows Indian consumers to instantly transfer money and pay bills digitally, and it dominates the country’s digital payments landscape.
Apple Pay relies on Face ID or Touch ID to authorise payments in person via tap-to-pay, as well as on websites and through apps. That aligns well with new rules introduced by India’s central bank late last year, which for the first time allowed biometric authentication — such as fingerprint or facial recognition — for digital payments, moving away from the one-time passwords that had previously been the norm.
A fast-growing market
India represents a major opportunity for Apple’s services business. The country is home to more than 750 million smartphone users, cheap and widely available mobile data, and strong government backing for digital payments — making it one of the fastest-growing digital payments markets in the world.
Apple is known to take a cut of Apple Pay transactions, and a successful launch in India could meaningfully grow the company’s services revenue in the region. Beyond revenue, an Apple Pay launch could also drive hardware demand: the feature works across iPhones, Apple Watches, iPads and Macs.
Apple has steadily grown its share of India’s smartphone market to around 10%. That’s a meaningful gain in a market long dominated by lower-cost Android devices. But it still leaves significant room for further expansion.
Apple deepening its India commitment
The planned Apple Pay launch is part of a broader push by Apple into India. The company recently opened its sixth retail store in the country, a new location in Mumbai. Chief Executive Tim Cook has repeatedly highlighted India as one of Apple’s fastest-growing markets.
Apple has also made India a key node in its global manufacturing strategy, ramping up iPhone production in the country as it diversifies away from China. That shift has helped Apple shield US customers from the potential cost impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods.
Apple Pay in India: Incumbent players take note
News of the planned launch sent shares of some existing Indian payments providers lower. Paytm parent One97 Communications fell as much as 2.6%, while AvenuesAI and Pine Labs also extended losses.
Apple Pay would enter a competitive market. Alphabet’s Google Pay, Walmart-controlled PhonePe and Amazon are among the international players already offering digital payments platforms in India, alongside homegrown services like Paytm.
Bloomberg noted that the timeline for the Apple Pay launch remains fluid, though the active discussions with banks and networks signal that a launch is drawing closer.
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
