India’s indigenous digital payments network is now operational in nine countries, enabling Indian users to perform merchant transactions abroad using the same UPI apps they rely on at home.
Countries where UPI payments are currently accepted:
- UAE
- Singapore
- Bhutan
- Nepal
- Sri Lanka
- France
- Mauritius
- Qatar
- Cambodia (latest addition)
The growth of UPI’s international presence aligns with India’s wider initiative to share its digital public infrastructure (DPI) model globally. The government has informed Parliament about signing cooperation agreements with 23 nations for sharing and implementing components of India Stack, the technological framework that supports platforms like Aadhaar, UPI, and DigiLocker.
Countries that have entered into DPI cooperation agreements with India include Armenia, Sierra Leone, Suriname, Antigua and Barbuda, Papua New Guinea, Trinidad and Tobago, Tanzania, Kenya, Cuba, Colombia, Laos, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Ethiopia, Jamaica, Gambia, Fiji, Guyana, Venezuela, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Lesotho, Maldives, and Mongolia.
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The government has also established DigiLocker-specific agreements with Cuba, Kenya, the UAE, and Laos.
Authorities state that the increasing global acceptance of UPI is streamlining cross-border payments for travellers, aiding remittances, and enhancing India’s reputation as an innovator in digital payments.
Details were shared by Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
With more countries considering partnerships regarding India’s digital public infrastructure, the list of destinations where Indian travellers can use UPI is anticipated to grow even further.
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