New Delhi, Oct 1(APAC Media): Apple Pay is now available in India, giving iPhone and Apple Watch users a new option for contactless card payments. The service has launched with Axis Bank as its first banking partner and currently supports eligible Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
Apple Pay India Launch: What Users Need To Know
At launch, Apple Pay India is limited to eligible Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards. Users can add their cards through the Axis Bank app or directly through the Apple Wallet.
Apple Pay allows users to make contactless payments at supported stores, pay within apps and complete online purchases using compatible Apple devices. The service works on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, while Mac support is expected to be added later.
Compatible iPhone users need an iPhone XR or newer running iOS 18 or later. Apple Watch support starts with Series 6 and newer models.
Apple Pay Does Not Support UPI In India
Apple Pay’s India launch does not include UPI or RuPay support. This means users cannot currently use Apple Pay for UPI payments, which remain a major part of India’s digital payments ecosystem.
For now, Apple Pay is focused on card-based payments through Visa and Mastercard. The limited bank and card-network support also means the service is available only to a specific group of Indian users at launch.
Apple has partnered with payment companies including Razorpay, PayU, Cashfree, Pine Labs and Juspay to support Apple Pay across merchant networks in India.
The service is available at participating merchants, including Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Croma, Ixigo, Tata 1mg and Zomato.
How Apple Pay Keeps Payments Secure
Apple Pay uses tokenisation to avoid sharing the user’s actual card number with merchants during a transaction.
Instead, Apple creates a unique Device Account Number for the card. This number is encrypted and stored in the device’s Secure Element. Apple also says it does not retain transaction information that can be linked to individual users.
What Comes Next For Apple Pay In India
The initial Apple Pay India launch is limited to Axis Bank and Visa and Mastercard credit cards. Apple currently lists Axis Bank as its only Indian banking partner for eligible cards.
The next stage of Apple Pay’s expansion in India could depend on support for more banks, card networks and payment options. Support for UPI, in particular, would broaden the service beyond traditional card-based contactless payments.
For now, Apple Pay gives eligible Axis Bank credit card users in India another way to make payments using Apple devices, but it is not yet a replacement for UPI-based digital payments.
