Apple Pay has officially launched in India, ending more than a decade of waiting for Apple's contactless payment service. The Apple Pay India launch went live on September 30, 2026, with Axis Bank as the first and only banking partner — a major milestone for Apple's digital payments expansion, but also a limited debut that leaves out UPI and most of India's biggest banks for now.
Which Cards and Devices Are Supported at Launch
At launch, Apple Pay India supports only Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards, which can be added through the latest Axis Bank app or directly in Apple Wallet, according to reporting by TechCrunch, which first broke the story. Axis Bank — India's third-largest private lender and fourth-largest credit card issuer, with 16.3 million cards outstanding as of August out of 124 million nationwide — is the sole issuer on board.
On the device side, Apple Pay works on iPhone (iPhone XR or later with iOS 18 or newer), iPad, and Apple Watch (Series 6 or later with watchOS 11 or newer). Mac support is "coming soon," with no date announced yet. Notably absent from day one: India's homegrown RuPay card network and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which handles roughly 84% of India's digital payment volumes, per a 2025 IMF report cited by Reuters.
How Apple Pay Works in India: Setup and Payments
Setting up is straightforward: open Apple Wallet, add your eligible Axis Bank Visa or Mastercard credit card, and you're ready to tap. In stores, users double-click the side or Home button, authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a device passcode, then hold the iPhone or Apple Watch near a contactless reader — no card PIN or SMS one-time password required.
That OTP-free checkout is a meaningful change for Indian card payments, which have traditionally required two-factor authentication. Apple's approach relies on device-native biometrics: a unique Device Account Number stored in the phone's Secure Element replaces the real card number, so merchants never see it, and Apple says it does not store transaction data that can be traced back to users.
Why UPI Is Missing and What's Next for Apple Pay India
Apple's biggest hurdle in India isn't technology — it's economics. Apple is reportedly seeking a fee of about 20 basis points (0.2%) per transaction, TechCrunch reports, a significant slice of the already thin payments margin. That sticking point is why HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and SBI Card — three of India's largest card issuers — are sitting out the launch while negotiations continue.
Where it does work, coverage is broad: Apple says Apple Pay will be accepted by "millions of merchants," including its own Apple Stores, Blinkit, Chaayos, Croma, Ixigo, Tata 1mg, Zomato, and several Reliance-owned brands. Payment providers Cashfree, JusPay, Mswipe, Paytm, PayU, Pine Labs, Razorpay, and Worldline are enabling Apple Pay acceptance across their merchant networks.
"India is home to a dynamic and digitally savvy population that continues to embrace a cashless future," said Jennifer Bailey, Apple's vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, adding the company is "so excited to bring Apple Pay to users in India today."
The Takeaway
The Apple Pay India launch is a genuine milestone — it fills one of the last major gaps in Apple's global payments footprint, which now spans more than 90 countries and over 11,000 bank partners. But the narrow debut — one bank, credit cards only, no UPI — means it will initially serve a premium slice of India's 124 million cardholders rather than the mass market. Whether it grows beyond that depends on Apple's fee negotiations with HDFC, ICICI, and SBI Card. If those deals land, Apple Pay could become a real rival to the card layer of India's digital payments stack; until then, it's a polished convenience for Axis Bank's iPhone-owning customers.
Sources: TechCrunch — Apple Pay finally launches in India after years on the sidelines · 91mobiles — Apple Pay finally launches in India: how to set it up, where it works, supported banks · Tech-Ish — Apple Pay launches in India with Axis Bank credit cards and no UPI support · NeoTeo — Apple Pay launches in India with Axis Bank cards