Apple Pay comes to India after 12 years: How it works, who can use it and what’s missing

For years, there was a slightly strange sight in India’s digital payments landscape: millions of iPhones, a hugely popular Apple Wallet, and no Apple Pay. That changed on Wednesday, September 30.

Apple has officially launched Apple Pay in India, bringing its tap-to-pay service to iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch users. But before you rush to your Wallet app, there is an important catch: only eligible Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards are supported at launch. RuPay cards, debit cards and cards from other Indian banks are not part of the initial rollout. Mac support is also coming later.

So, what exactly can you do with Apple Pay in India now?

Apple Pay has finally arrived in India, but only with Axis Bank cards for now

The first thing to understand is that Apple Pay is launching in stages.

Apple has partnered with Axis Bank, Visa and Mastercard for the initial Indian rollout. According to Reuters, Axis Bank had around 16.3 million credit cards outstanding in August, making it the first major Indian bank to offer Apple Pay. Talks with larger issuers including HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank have taken place, but Reuters reported that commercial agreements had not yet been finalised.

That means an iPhone user with an HDFC, ICICI, SBI Card or another bank’s credit card cannot simply add that card to Apple Pay today. And there is another important limitation: RuPay is not supported at launch, even if the RuPay card is issued by Axis Bank. Apple Pay is therefore entering India as a card-based payment service, rather than as another way to access UPI.

Does Apple Pay work with UPI in India?

No, at least not at launch. This is perhaps the biggest difference between Apple Pay and the payment experience many Indians are accustomed to. UPI lets you move money directly from one bank account to another, often by scanning a QR code. Apple Pay, in its Indian launch, is essentially a digital wallet for eligible credit cards.

Reuters reported that UPI accounts for about 84% of India's digital payment volumes, according to a 2025 IMF report. That makes Apple's decision to enter India through card payments particularly interesting: it is not replacing the country's dominant payment system, but adding another option for cardholders.

In fact, India has also been expanding contactless UPI payments. Reuters reported earlier this month that NPCI introduced a tap-and-pay option for UPI, allowing users to tap their smartphones at compatible point-of-sale terminals without opening a UPI app.

So think of it this way: Apple Pay and UPI can coexist, but they are not the same thing.

How do you set up Apple Pay on an iPhone in India? If you have an eligible Axis Bank Visa or Mastercard credit card, setting up Apple Pay is fairly straightforward.

You can add the card through the Wallet app on your iPhone or through the latest Axis Bank mobile app. Once the card is verified and added, it becomes available for Apple Pay transactions. Apple says users can make payments in stores, inside apps and on websites that support the service.

The supported device lineup at launch includes iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches. Apple has said Mac support is coming soon. HT Tech notes that the launch supports newer compatible iPhones, while Apple Watch payments require a compatible paired iPhone.

How do you pay with Apple Pay in a shop?

This is where Apple Pay is designed to feel almost invisible. At a compatible contactless card terminal, you can bring up your payment card, authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID or your device passcode, and hold your iPhone near the contactless reader.

With an Apple Watch, the watch can be brought close to the terminal after authentication.

The important difference is what you don't have to do: Apple says Apple Pay transactions do not require you to type a card PIN or enter an OTP at checkout. Times of India reported that the service can be used at thousands of merchants across India and anywhere compatible NFC payments are accepted.

The underlying technology is NFC, near-field communication, the same basic tap-to-pay technology used for contactless cards.

Where can you use Apple Pay in India?

Apple says Apple Pay will be accepted by millions of merchants across India, including Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Chaayos, Croma, Interflora, Ixigo, Le15 Patisserie, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg and Zomato. Apple has also worked with payment service providers including BillDesk, Cashfree, Juspay, Mswipe, Paytm, PayU, Pine Labs and Razorpay to bring the service to their merchant networks.

But there is a practical distinction worth remembering: a shop accepting contactless cards does not automatically mean every Apple Pay transaction will work there. The merchant or payment infrastructure must support the relevant Apple Pay transaction.

For online purchases, Apple Pay can also appear as a checkout option in supported apps and websites, allowing users to authenticate without repeatedly entering card and billing information.

Why did Apple Pay take so long to come to India?

This is the part of the story that stretches well beyond the iPhone.

Apple Pay was launched in the US in 2014, but India presented a very different payments environment, with regulatory requirements, data rules, card-tokenisation requirements and a rapidly expanding UPI ecosystem.

India Today reported that Apple had stopped accepting credit and debit cards for App Store purchases in India in 2021 after the RBI introduced its card-tokenisation mandate. The company subsequently worked towards complying with India's requirements around card payments and tokenised data.

Then came another important piece of the puzzle: biometric authentication for card payments.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Apple Pay vice-president Jennifer Bailey said the RBI's move to support biometric authentication was particularly important because it allows Apple Pay transactions to be authenticated using Face ID or Touch ID. She said the regulatory framework, payments infrastructure and the right banking partners had to come together before Apple Pay could launch.

Reuters had reported on September 18 that Apple was preparing an India launch with Axis Bank while discussions with HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank were continuing. The eventual launch arrived sooner than that report's expected October timeline.

What does Apple Pay's India launch actually change?

For the first time, an iPhone user in India with an eligible Axis credit card can leave the physical card at home and use the iPhone or Apple Watch for contactless payments.

That sounds simple. But the bigger story is that Apple has finally entered a market where digital payments have evolved dramatically without it. India did not wait for Apple Pay.

UPI became the everyday payment habit for millions. QR codes became ubiquitous. Contactless cards expanded. And now Apple is arriving with a payment system built around the credit card and the Apple ecosystem.

For now, the rollout is deliberately narrow: Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards, supported Apple devices and participating merchants.

The next big question is obvious: when will Apple Pay add more Indian banks, and will UPI ever become part of the Apple Pay experience?

Apple has not announced a timeline for either.

(With inputs from agencies)