Apple Pay became available in India on September 30, 2026, initially for eligible Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards. It works on supported iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches, but it is a card-based payment option—not a replacement for UPI’s direct bank-to-bank payments.
What Apple announced for India
Apple announced Apple Pay availability in India on September 30, 2026. At launch, the company named Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards as eligible. Apple says the service can be used in stores, apps and on the web where the relevant checkout supports it. Apple’s launch announcement names Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Chaayos, Croma, Ixigo, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg and Zomato as examples of merchants. That list does not mean every outlet, payment terminal or online checkout at those businesses accepts Apple Pay.
Apple lists iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch support at launch; Mac support is described as coming soon, not available at launch. The announcement does not specify iPad model requirements.
Published device requirements
- iPhone: iPhone XR or later with iOS 18 or later.
- Apple Watch: Apple Watch Series 6 or later with watchOS 11 or later, paired with an iPhone XR or later.
- iPad: Listed as supported for app and web payments, but Apple’s announcement does not state the required iPad models.
Apple’s Apple Pay participating banks and card issuers page is the place to check current card eligibility; supported issuers and cards can change.
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Apple Pay and UPI use different payment paths
Apple Pay’s India launch is based on eligible payment cards. UPI lets consumers make instant bank-to-bank payments. The distinction matters when choosing how to pay: Apple Pay requires an eligible card and a checkout that accepts it, while UPI is the option for paying directly from a bank account at a merchant that accepts UPI. The two can serve overlapping situations, but they are not interchangeable in every checkout. TechCrunch’s launch coverage also describes the card-based launch in contrast with UPI.
| Consideration | Apple Pay in India at launch | UPI |
|---|---|---|
| Payment path | Eligible Axis Bank-issued Visa or Mastercard credit card, as named in Apple’s announcement. | Instant bank-to-bank payment. |
| What you need | A supported Apple device and an eligible card. | Access to UPI through a participating bank or payment app. |
| Where it works | Participating contactless terminals and supported app or web checkouts. | Merchants and payment flows that accept UPI. |
| Availability detail | Apple has named example merchants, not an exhaustive directory; verify the specific checkout. | Acceptance varies by merchant and checkout. |
UPI’s scale provides context for why it is central to India’s payments landscape, but it does not predict Apple Pay’s adoption. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) reported 22,716.07 million UPI transactions worth ₹2,892,138.67 crore in June 2026 in its monthly product statistics. Separately, India’s Press Information Bureau said UPI accounted for nearly 49% of global real-time payment transaction volume in 2024, citing the IMF’s June 2025 report, in a 2026 release. That is a 2024 measure, not a 2026 market-share figure. UPI launched in 2016 under NPCI and RBI oversight, according to the same release.
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How to pay with Apple Pay
In a store
- At a participating merchant, double-click the side button or Home button on your iPhone, as applicable.
- Authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID or your device passcode if prompted.
- Hold the top of the iPhone near the enabled contactless reader. With a supported Apple Watch, hold the watch display near the reader as Apple instructs.
The reader must support the payment. Seeing Apple Pay named as a merchant option does not guarantee that every location or terminal is enabled.
In an app or on the web
Apple says supported iPhone and iPad users can pay in apps and on the web without re-entering card, contact and shipping details for every purchase. The particular app or website must offer Apple Pay at checkout. Apple also says card rewards and benefits continue to apply; this is a stated product feature, and card terms still govern the benefits.
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What to check before relying on it
- Confirm that your specific Axis Bank Visa or Mastercard credit card is currently eligible using Apple’s India eligibility information.
- Check that your iPhone or Apple Watch meets Apple’s published requirements; the launch announcement does not identify required iPad models.
- Look for Apple Pay at the exact store terminal, app or web checkout you plan to use. Apple’s merchant examples are not a complete acceptance list.
- If you need to pay directly from a bank account or a merchant does not offer Apple Pay, use another accepted payment method, such as UPI where available.
Apple’s launch announcement describes eligible cards and does not announce UPI support. Therefore, UPI support is not part of the announced India launch; the announcement does not establish whether that could change later.
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