The UAE is emerging as one of the key international markets connected to India’s fast-growing digital payments ecosystem, with links spanning UPI acceptance, RuPay card acceptance and domestic payment infrastructure partnerships, according to a presentation by NPCI International.
The UAE appeared among the countries listed under UPI Acceptance, alongside Qatar, Singapore, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Cambodia, France and Mauritius. It was also listed under RuPay Card Acceptance, together with Mauritius, Nepal, Singapore, Maldives and Bhutan.
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The data also showed the UAE under Domestic Card Switch partnerships, highlighting broader cooperation beyond merchant payments and into payment infrastructure.
The expansion comes as India’s Unified Payments Interface processed 24.5 billion transactions worth around $315 billion in August alone, according to figures presented by NPCI International.
The Npci said around 80 per cent of digital payments in India now take place through UPI, while more than 500 million people actively use the platform.
UAE part of wider cross-border payments push
Npci International was established in 2020 to take India’s payment capabilities beyond its domestic market and work with partner countries on payment interoperability and infrastructure.
The presentation divided its international work into two broad areas: infrastructure-building solutions and interoperability partnerships.
Under interoperability, the UAE was shown as a market for both UPI acceptance and RuPay card acceptance.
The presentation also showed Singapore, Nepal and Greece under UPI remittance partnerships, while the UAE was not listed in that specific remittance column in the slide shown during the briefing.
UPI used across 11 countries
Npci International said UPI merchant-payment capabilities are now live across 11 countries, allowing Indian travellers in supported markets to use local QR codes through Indian UPI-enabled apps.
Examples cited included Singapore, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan.
The model allows users to pay abroad using their mobile phones without relying only on cash or physical cards.
24.5 billion transactions in one month
UPI has grown rapidly since its launch in 2016.
According to the data, the platform processed 24.5 billion transactions in August, with a value of about $315 billion.
The Npci said India is processing close to 1 billion UPI transactions a day, while UPI now dominates the country’s digital payment ecosystem.
More than 500 million active users and around 55 million unique merchants are connected to the platform, while the number of payment touchpoints displaying QR codes has expanded significantly.
India Stack drives digital payments growth
The growth of UPI is part of India’s wider India Stack, which is built around presence-less, paperless, cashless and consent-based digital services.
The framework allows users to open bank accounts, access financial services, verify identity and make payments without relying on physical paperwork or visiting branches.
India’s Aadhaar identity system has been central to this transformation, alongside services such as DigiLocker and DigiYatra.
NPCI grew from ATM switching to global payments
NPCI was established in 2008 under the guidance of the Reserve Bank of India as a not-for-profit organisation.
It initially focused on ATM and point-of-sale transaction switching before expanding into a wider network of payment platforms.
In 2012, it launched RuPay, India’s domestic card scheme. Today, more than 800 million RuPay cards are in circulation.
UPI followed in 2016 and has since expanded into recurring payments, merchant payments, e-commerce, credit-linked payments and some offline-payment functions.
Small businesses benefit from QR payments
The platform has also opened digital payments to small and micro businesses.
Merchants can accept payments through QR codes without needing card terminals, while some businesses can receive payments directly through messaging-based commerce.
The Npci highlighted WhatsApp integration in India as one example of how UPI is embedded into daily consumer behaviour.
Security remains central
With transaction volumes rising rapidly, NPCI said security remains a major focus.
The organisation cited compliance with PCI-DSS and ISO 27001 standards, alongside digital signing of transactions and controls aimed at protecting user data.
NPCI International is also working with countries interested in developing domestic real-time payment systems by using India’s technology experience and payment infrastructure.
Source: Khaleej Times
