Apple Pay initially supports only eligible Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards, with wider card and bank support expected later.
Apple Pay has officially launched in India, more than a decade after Apple introduced its digital payment service in the United States. The service arrives through a partnership with Axis Bank, giving Apple a foothold in one of the world’s largest digital payments markets.
There is, however, a major limitation at launch. Only eligible Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards are supported initially. RuPay cards are not eligible, while India’s widely used Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is also absent from the initial rollout.
Who Can Use Apple Pay in India?
Axis Bank is the first Indian bank to support Apple Pay.
Customers with eligible Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards can add their cards to Apple Wallet or through the Axis Bank mobile app. Once added, they can use Apple Pay for purchases in stores, supported apps, and online using compatible Apple devices.
No other Indian banks are part of the initial rollout.
Reuters previously reported that Apple had held discussions with larger banks, including HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, but had not reached commercial agreements with them.
How Apple Pay Works
For in-store purchases, Apple Pay allows users to authenticate payments through Face ID, Touch ID, or their device passcode before completing a contactless transaction.
The service can also be used for purchases within supported apps and websites, eliminating the need to repeatedly enter physical card details.
Apple Pay uses a device-specific account number rather than storing the user’s actual card number on the device or Apple’s servers. This is designed to keep the card number separate from merchants during transactions.
Why UPI and RuPay Matter
The initial Apple Pay rollout is notably different from how most Indians already make digital payments.
Apple Pay is launching with eligible credit cards rather than UPI, India’s real-time bank-to-bank payment system. According to a 2025 International Monetary Fund report cited by Reuters, UPI accounted for 84 per cent of India’s digital payment volumes.
RuPay, India’s domestic card network, is also excluded from the initial Apple Pay rollout.
As a result, Apple’s first offering covers only a limited segment of India’s enormous digital payments market. Broader bank and card support could significantly expand its reach if additional partnerships are added.
Why Apple Chose Axis Bank
Axis Bank is India’s fourth-largest credit card issuer, with 16.3 million cards outstanding in August, according to central bank figures Reuters cited.
India had around 124 million outstanding credit cards during the same period.
Apple and Axis Bank have not disclosed how many of the bank’s cards are eligible for Apple Pay. The service’s reach could increase substantially if other major Indian banks join the platform.
Apple Pay Arrives After Years of Waiting
Apple Pay launched in the United States in 2014 and has since expanded to dozens of markets.
India had remained one of the notable countries without the service, even as Apple’s presence and customer base in the country continued to grow.
Apple says its payment platform now works with more than 11,000 issuers and millions of merchants across more than 90 markets.
For Indian users, the launch finally brings Apple’s payment service to the country, but its first version is considerably narrower than the digital payment ecosystem most consumers already use. The next step will depend on whether Apple can add more banks, card networks, and payment options to the platform.
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For in-store purchases, users can authenticate an Apple Pay transaction using Face ID, Touch ID, or their device passcode before making a contactless payment.
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Source: Gulf News
