Apple has begun talks with Indian banks, card issuers, payment networks, and regulators to introduce Apple Pay, with an expected rollout later this year and wider adoption by end-2026. The service will initially focus on NFC-based tap-to-pay transactions using contactless cards added to Apple Wallet, addressing the current limitation on domestic cards.
Launch Details and NFC Focus
Negotiations center on fee structures and backend integrations for NFC payments at supported terminals, enabling seamless in-store tap-to-pay without UPI at launch. UPI integration faces regulatory hurdles as a third-party provider, likely arriving later via partnerships given its dominance in India’s payments ecosystem.
Competition and Market Context
Apple Pay enters a crowded field led by Google Pay and Samsung Pay, leveraging iPhone 16’s strong sales in India—global bestseller in Q3 2025 partly driven by this market. This ecosystem expansion boosts Apple’s local presence amid growing premium smartphone adoption.