QR-based Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments will now be accepted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) announced through a press release on Wednesday. To facilitate this move, the organization has partnered with Network International, a digital commerce enabler in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. Courtesy of this partnership, UPI payments can be made through Network International's over 2,00,000 Point of Sale (POS) terminals.
UPI Payments in UAE
With this initiative, NIPL says Indian tourists and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in the UAE can make secure payments by simply scanning the QR code. It will be accepted at leading establishments such as the Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall and other retail stores and restaurants.
Making the announcement, Ritesh Shukla, Managing Director, NPCI International said, “By increasing the acceptance of UPI payments among UAE merchants, we are not only providing Indian travelers with a seamless and familiar payment experience, but that we also promote the use of innovative digital payments international solutions”.
Network International is said to support more than 60,000 merchants in retail, hospitality, transport, supermarkets and other sectors, and cross-border UPI payments can be made through Indian bank accounts in these locations.
UPI is a real-time payment system that allows users to link multiple bank accounts to a mobile app and make payments through it. Launched in 2016, it aims to simplify digital payments while keeping them secure. Users can choose a PIN that is required each time they make a payment by scanning a QR code from the merchant. Alternatively, they can set a maximum limit within which a UPI PIN will not be required.
UPI to other nations
Nepal was the first nation to support UPI payments outside India, with its Gateway Payments Service (GPS) partnering with NIPL to facilitate QR-based payments. Earlier this year, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and France became the latest countries to accept UPI payments.
Apart from the UAE, UPI is also available in five other countries besides India: Bhutan, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Singapore and Sri Lanka.
