Apple has officially launched its flagship payments service, Apple Pay, in India, marking its entry into one of the world’s largest digital payments markets.
The tap-to-pay service is available to users in India starting today (September 30) across iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, with support for Mac coming soon. The iPhone-maker has partnered with Axis Bank, Visa, and Mastercard for the rollout of Apple Pay in the country. This means that initially, only customers with Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards will be able to add their cards to Apple Pay and use them to make in-store and online payments across India.
Apple Pay enables customers to make tap-and-pay purchases using tokenised card details stored on their devices, eliminating the need to open a separate payments app for transactions.
Say hello to Apple Pay in India! 🇮🇳
We’re so excited to bring Apple Pay to India today, and make it easier than ever for our customers to make safe and secure purchases on Apple devices. pic.twitter.com/UmniXVyRfS
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) September 30, 2026
At launch, Apple Pay will be accepted by millions of merchants across India, including at Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Chaayos, Comet, Croma, Interflora, Ixigo, Le15 Patisserie, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg, Zomato, and more.
Apple said it also worked closely with payment service providers (PSPs) such as Cashfree, JusPay, Mswipe, Paytm, PayU, Pine Labs, Razorpay, Worldline, and more to bring Apple Pay to their merchant networks in India, with even more merchants and apps coming over time.
The debut of Apple Pay in India marks the Cupertino-based tech giant’s latest efforts to expand its footprint in one of the world’s most populous countries (1.4 billion people) with a rapidly expanding middle class.
So far, Apple’s India push has been limited to expanding its manufacturing and retail operations in the country. Apple’s share of India’s smartphone market has doubled to 8% since 2022, according to Counterpoint Research cited by Reuters. This makes it one of Apple’s fastest-growing markets. A large share of iPhones sold globally are also assembled in India.
However, the tech giant is attempting to make inroads in the country’s crowded digital payments market at a time when the Indian government’s controversial new 0.4 per cent UPI merchant fee on some transactions has sparked a debate over its impact on businesses.
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Despite earlier reports that Apple Pay could support UPI in India, the service has been launched with only card payments instead, limiting its initial reach in a market where UPI is the dominant digital payments rail, accounting for 84 per cent of India’s total digital payments volume.
Besides India, Apple Pay is available in more than 90 countries and regions, and works with more than 11,000 bank and network partners worldwide.
“India is home to a dynamic and digitally savvy population that continues to embrace a cashless future while expecting the highest standards of security and privacy, and we’re so excited to bring Apple Pay to users in India today,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.
“Apple Pay makes everyday payments with a card easy, secure, and private — from simply tapping to pay in stores without an extra app, PIN, or OTP to checking out online without repeatedly entering payment information,” Bailey added.
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How to set up Apple Pay
To add a card for Apple Pay, eligible credit card owners will need to use an iPhone XR or later model with iOS 18 or later. Apple Pay can also be used to make payments via Apple Watch Series 6 or later with watchOS 11 or later, as long as the smartwatch is paired with the eligible iPhone model.
Eligible users can have their credit card details stored on Apple Wallet by either downloading the latest version of the Axis Bank app or following the steps below:
-Open the Wallet app on iPhone
-Tap the plus sign
-Follow the steps to add an eligible card
Once a user adds a card to their Apple device, they can start using Apple Pay right away.
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How to make payments via iPhone
To use Apple Pay in stores, follow the steps below:
-Double-click the side button or Home button
-Authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or a device passcode if prompted
-Hold the top of the iPhone or display of the Apple Watch near the contactless reader to pay
Users can also make purchases with Apple Pay on iPad, with support for Mac coming soon. When using Apple Pay, users will continue to earn the rewards and benefits offered by their cards.
