MUMBAI, Dec. 18, 2024 – NPCI International Payments (NIPL), a subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), plans to extend the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to four to six additional countries by 2025. This move aims to make UPI accessible in regions frequented by Indian travelers, such as Qatar, Thailand, and Southeast Asia.

Expanding Global Reach

UPI is currently operational in seven countries, including Bhutan, Nepal, Singapore, and France. With international adoption on the rise, NIPL’s CEO, Ritesh Shukla, highlighted the ongoing efforts to boost UPI’s global presence. Speaking at the Moneycontrol Fintech Conclave, Shukla stated:

“We aim to go live in 3–4 new countries in 2025 and potentially six, depending on project completion timelines.”

Building Awareness Abroad

Efforts are underway to create awareness among merchants and customers in existing markets. NIPL is also collaborating with Indian banks and fintechs to ease UPI adoption abroad, including providing user notifications at six international airports.

Future Collaborations

Beyond UPI expansion, NIPL is partnering with countries like Peru, Namibia, and Trinidad and Tobago to develop payment systems modeled after India’s real-time payment network.

What’s Next?

As UPI expands into more global markets, it strengthens India’s position as a leader in digital payments. This initiative promises seamless transactions for Indian tourists and a growing ecosystem for international partners.