Apple Pay finally launches in India after years on the sidelines — but there's a catch

Apple Pay has officially launched in India, more than a decade after Apple’s digital payment service debuted in the United States.

The service launched on Wednesday through a partnership with Axis Bank, giving Apple its first foothold in one of the world’s biggest digital payments markets.

But there’s a significant limitation at launch: only eligible Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards are initially supported.

Cards on India’s domestic RuPay network aren't eligible, and Apple Pay’s initial offering doesn't support India’s ubiquitous Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

Who can use Apple Pay in India?

Axis Bank is the first Indian bank to offer Apple Pay.

Customers with eligible Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards can add their cards through Apple Wallet or the Axis Bank mobile app.

They can then use Apple Pay to make purchases in stores, apps and online using supported Apple devices.

Other Indian banks are not part of the initial launch.

Reuters previously reported that Apple had held talks with larger rivals HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, but had not reached commercial agreements.

How does Apple Pay work?

For in-store purchases, users can authenticate an Apple Pay transaction using Face ID, Touch ID or their device passcode before making a contactless payment.

Apple Pay can also be used for purchases in supported apps and online.

The system is designed so users don’t have to hand over their physical credit card or repeatedly enter card details when making supported transactions.

Apple Pay uses a device-specific number rather than storing the actual card number on the device or Apple’s servers, adding another layer between a user’s card details and the merchant.

What about UPI and RuPay?

This is where Apple’s entry into India differs significantly from the way millions of people already pay digitally.

Apple Pay is launching with eligible credit cards rather than UPI, India’s real-time bank-to-bank payment system.

UPI accounts for 84 per cent of India’s digital payment volumes, according to a 2025 International Monetary Fund report cited by Reuters.

Cards using India’s homegrown RuPay network also won't be eligible for Apple Pay at launch.

That means the initial rollout reaches only a relatively small part of India’s enormous digital payments market.

Why Axis Bank?

Axis Bank is India’s fourth-largest credit card issuer, with 16.3 million cards outstanding as of August, according to central bank figures cited by Reuters.

About 124 million credit cards were outstanding across India during the same period.

Apple and Axis Bank have not disclosed how many of the bank’s cards are eligible for Apple Pay.

Additional banks could broaden the service considerably if they join in the future.

Apple Pay arrives after years of waiting

Apple Pay first launched in the United States in 2014 and has since expanded across dozens of markets.

India had remained one of the most notable gaps in its international footprint despite Apple’s growing presence in the country.

Apple says its payment service now connects more than 11,000 issuers and millions of merchants across more than 90 markets.