Apple is reportedly preparing to launch Apple Pay in India in October 2026, marking the company’s entry into one of the world’s largest digital-payments markets. According to Reuters, the initial rollout is expected to begin with Axis Bank credit cards, with Apple continuing discussions with other major lenders.
The development is significant for Indian iPhone users who have so far relied on UPI apps and traditional card-payment methods rather than Apple’s own mobile payment platform.
Axis Bank to Be Initial Banking Partner
Axis Bank is expected to become Apple Pay’s first major banking partner in India. The bank had approximately 16.26 million active credit cards in July, according to Reserve Bank of India data cited by Reuters.
Apple is also reportedly in discussions with HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank about joining the service. However, commercial agreements with those banks have not yet been finalised, meaning their participation may come at a later stage.
Apple is expected to expand Apple Pay’s Indian banking network gradually through individual agreements with lenders, following a phased approach used in other markets.
How Apple Pay Will Work
Apple Pay allows users to add eligible credit or debit cards to the Apple Wallet on an iPhone or Apple Watch. At supported contactless payment terminals, users can authenticate a transaction using Face ID, Touch ID or their device passcode.
Instead of sharing the actual card number with a merchant, Apple Pay uses tokenised card information, adding a layer of security to contactless transactions.
Will Apple Pay Support UPI?
One of the biggest questions for Indian users is UPI support.
Reports indicate that Apple Pay is expected to initially focus on card-based payments rather than UPI. Business Standard previously reported that UPI would not be supported at launch and that Apple would need the relevant approvals and banking arrangements to offer UPI transactions.
This means Apple Pay’s initial role in India could be primarily as a convenient way to use eligible credit cards through an iPhone or Apple Watch.
Apple Pay Enters a UPI-Dominated Market
Apple Pay is entering an Indian payments ecosystem where UPI accounts for around 84% of digital-payment volume, according to Reuters. UPI’s widespread QR-code and mobile-based payment infrastructure makes India a particularly competitive market for any new payment service.
At the same time, Apple’s smartphone market share in India has grown to about 8%, according to Counterpoint Research data cited by Reuters, giving Apple Pay a substantial potential user base.
Apple has not yet publicly confirmed the reported October launch date or the complete list of supported banks. For now, the reported plan points to a phased Apple Pay rollout beginning with Axis Bank credit cards, followed by potential expansion to additional Indian lenders.
