Apple Pay Coming To India? iPhone Maker In Talks With Banks To Launch Payment Service By Mid-2026: Report
Apple is reportedly preparing to launch Apple Pay in India by mid-2026, as it discusses partnering with banks to support cards and UPI network.
Published : February 26, 2026 at 5:10 PM IST
Hyderabad: Apple may finally be getting ready to launch its Apple Pay service in India. The company is reportedly in talks with several major banks and global payment networks to bring the service to Indian users and tap into one of the world's fastest-growing fintech markets.
According to a Bloomberg report, Apple is already in discussion with ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and Axis Bank, along with Visa Inc and Mastercard Inc networks to bring Apple Pay to the country.
Apple reportedly plans to introduce its digital payments service in India around mid-2026, though the timeline remains flexible. The launch of Apple Pay in India would mark a significant step for the iPhone maker's plans to expand beyond devices and enter into services in a country where it already sees a growing consumer base.
The tech giant is not only increasing manufacturing capacity in India but is also expanding its retail footprint with its Apple Stores, which now stand at five: Apple BKC (Mumbai), Apple Saket (New Delhi), Apple Hebbal (Bengaluru), Apple Koregaon Park (Pune), and Apple Noida (Delhi NCR). Apple plans to open three more stores in the country, with the sixth outlet already underway in Borivali.
Not very long ago, Apple launched the Apple Fitness+ subscription service in India, expanding its service business in the country, which currently includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, AppleCare+, and Apple One. The launch of Apple Pay will further enhance the portfolio.
Once launched, Apple Pay is expected to not only support card-based payments but also UPI service, competing with popular domestic and global players, which include Samsung Pay, Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, Amazon Pay, and more. The launch will also make Apple Pay one of the few international payment services to integrate with India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) service, a state-backed, real-time money transfer and bill payments system.
Similar to Samsung Pay, the Cupertino-based tech giant's payment service is expected to allow both online transactions and in-store payments via tap-to-pay.
