Strengthening Digital Ties: NPCI International scales up UPI adoption in the United Arab Emirates
UPI, India's real-time, account-to-account payment system, enables instant, secure transactions through mobile applications. Handling over 18 Billion transactions monthly, it has grown into one of the world's leading digital payment infrastructures. An open, interoperable architecture and rigorous security framework allow UPI to adapt smoothly to regulatory environments beyond India, including the UAE.
The UAE is one of India's busiest travel and remittance corridors. According to India's Ministry of Tourism over seven million Indians visit the UAE annually, making them its largest group of international visitors. Enabling travellers to pay with the mobile applications they use in India boosts convenience and gives the UAE merchants access to a digital-savvy customer base. The result is greater efficiency, better cash management, and lower operational costs for businesses.
His Excellency Satish Kumar Sivan, Consul General of India, Dubai said, 'The experience of Indian diaspora and the Indian travellers to UAE will never be the same again after the complete integration of UPI with UAE's digital payments architecture. I am glad that NIPL is making aggressive, concerted efforts with merchant establishments, payment solution providers and banks in UAE to ensure that this seamless experience is available to Indian clientele at the earliest. The complete integration of digital payments platforms of India's UPI and UAE's AANI will truly revolutionise our bilateral financial transactions ecosystem and will be a feather in the ceremonial cap of firsts that India & UAE have been producing in our economic partnership over the past decade.'
Over the past few years, NIPL has laid a solid foundation for UPI in the UAE through collaborations with leading financial institutions and payment solution providers. Partnerships with NeoPay (Mashreq), Network International, and Magnati have enabled QR-based UPI acceptance across a rapidly growing merchant network. Flagship outlets such as Dubai Duty Free and Lulu Hypermarket are already accepting UPI Payments, allowing Indian customers to settle purchases straight from their Indian bank accounts.
Mr Ritesh Shukla, MD & CEO, NPCI International said, 'At NPCI International, we are proud to accelerate the adoption of UPI in the UAE, a milestone that not only brings unparalleled convenience to millions of Indian travellers and residents but also strengthens the digital bridge between the two vibrant economies. Our expansion in the UAE is a testament to the growing global confidence in India's digital payment innovations. By enabling seamless, secure, and real-time payments, we are empowering businesses and consumers alike, supporting the UAE's vision of a cashless economy, and setting new standards for cross-border financial connectivity. We remain committed to deepening our partnerships and driving the next wave of digital transformation.'
To accelerate adoption, NIPL is working closely with regulator in the UAE and acquirers to enable UPI in high-frequency sectors including retail, hospitality, entertainment, transportation and essential services. The platform supports real-time payments in Indian rupees, shows transparent exchange rates and complies with safeguards such as transaction limits, two-factor authentication and international usage controls issued by the Reserve Bank of India.
The Government of Dubai has announced a goal of achieving 90 percent digital transactions by 2026, and aligned with this vision, NIPL is enhancing its presence in the country by expanding UPI acceptance. Through sustained collaboration with the UAE-based partners, the company is committed to delivering seamless, secure digital-payment experiences that generate lasting value for consumers, merchants and the wider economy.
About NPCI International:
NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) was incorporated on April 3, 2020, as a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). As NPCI's international arm, NIPL is devoted to deploying NPCI's indigenous, successful real-time payment system—Unified Payments Interface (UPI)—and card scheme (RuPay) outside of India. NPCI has successfully developed and proved its products and technological capabilities in the domestic market by transforming the payment segment in India. Currently, there are several countries that seek to establish a real-time payment system or a domestic card scheme. NIPL, with its knowledge and experience, can offer these countries technological assistance through licensing and consulting for building real-time payment systems to meet the rapidly evolving needs of fast-growing global businesses. NIPL focuses on transforming payments across the globe through technology and innovation. It will not only enable payments for Indians but also support other countries by enhancing their payment capabilities using technological assistance, consulting, and infrastructure.
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