Apple Pay India Launch Reportedly Planned for October 2026

Apple Pay could finally make its debut in India as early as October 2026, according to a recent report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The move would bring Apple’s long-running mobile payment service to one of the world’s largest digital payments markets, where competing services such as Samsung Pay and Google Pay have already been available for years.

Apple has reportedly been preparing for an India launch for several months. However, the service could initially arrive with a major limitation: UPI support may not be available at launch.

Apple Pay India Launch Reportedly Planned for October

Apple Pay’s potential India launch has been in discussion for several years, with Apple first expressing interest in bringing the service to the country in 2017. Regulatory requirements, technical challenges and negotiations with financial institutions have reportedly delayed the rollout.

Mark Gurman recently claimed that Apple is planning to launch Apple Pay in India in October. A Business Standard report published in August had also suggested that the service could arrive around the end of September or in October.

Apple is reportedly working with several Indian banks and payment networks to prepare for the launch. Axis Bank, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank are among the institutions said to be involved in discussions, while Visa and Mastercard are also reportedly part of the preparations.According to Reuters, Axis Bank could become Apple’s first banking partner in India, while discussions with HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank are reportedly still ongoing.

Apple Pay Could Initially Support Visa and Mastercard

Apple Pay is expected to initially focus on card-based payments rather than UPI. Reports suggest that users could be able to add supported Visa and Mastercard credit cards to Apple Wallet and use them for contactless payments through compatible iPhones and Apple Watch models.

This would give Apple users a way to make NFC-based payments without physically using their cards.

However, the initial lack of UPI could significantly limit the service's functionality in India, where UPI has become one of the country's most widely used digital payment methods.

Apple Pay May Launch Without UPI Support

Unlike markets where card payments dominate mobile wallets, India's digital payments ecosystem is heavily driven by UPI. Users regularly rely on UPI apps for QR-code payments, money transfers and everyday transactions.

Apple Pay is reportedly not expected to support UPI when it launches in India. To offer UPI payments, Apple would need to work with NPCI and establish the necessary banking and payment arrangements.As a result, Apple Pay could initially function primarily as a contactless card-payment service, rather than an all-in-one digital wallet for Indian users.

For iPhone and Apple Watch owners who frequently use credit cards for NFC payments, this could still make Apple Pay useful. However, users who primarily depend on UPI for everyday transactions would likely continue using other payment apps.

Apple Reportedly Negotiating Transaction Fees With Banks

Apple's negotiations with Indian banks could also play an important role in determining how its payment service operates in the country.

According to reports, Apple has been discussing the fee it would receive from card transactions made through Apple Pay. The company is reportedly seeking around 15–20 basis points, while some banks have pushed for a lower rate of around 10 basis points.One basis point is equal to 0.01 percent. The reported fee would be paid from banks' interchange earnings rather than being directly charged to Apple Pay users.

The arrangement is particularly relevant in India because UPI has historically offered a low-cost payment model for consumers and merchants.

How Apple Pay Could Compare With Samsung Wallet in India

Apple will also enter a market where Samsung already offers a broader mobile-payment ecosystem.

Samsung Wallet supports NFC-based card payments as well as UPI features, including QR-code payments, money transfers and payment requests. This allows Samsung users to manage both card-based and UPI payments from a single wallet.

Apple Pay's reported initial feature set could therefore be narrower by comparison.

If UPI is unavailable at launch, Apple Pay would primarily target iPhone and Apple Watch users who want to make contactless payments using supported credit cards. Users who depend heavily on UPI for QR-code payments would still need another app.

Apple Pay India Launch: What to Expect

If the reported October timeline holds, Apple Pay's arrival would mark an important expansion of Apple's services ecosystem in India.

The initial rollout could focus on supported Visa and Mastercard cards, with Axis Bank potentially becoming Apple's first banking partner. Broader bank support and UPI integration could determine how quickly Apple Pay becomes a more comprehensive payment option for Indian consumers.

For now, UPI support remains the biggest missing piece in the reported launch plans. Apple could eventually expand the service's capabilities, but it remains unclear when UPI payments will be added.

Apple Pay has been available in several international markets for years, and its reported arrival in India would finally give local iPhone and Apple Watch users access to Apple's own payment platform. The bigger question is whether Apple can adapt the service quickly enough to India's UPI-dominated payments landscape.