I don’t remember the last time I stepped out of my house with cash or my wallet. I know I have my phone and I feel sorted. UPI has clearly taken over India and is now on a international trip, one country at a time. Seven countries now accept UPI, newly added to the list are Sri Lanka and Mauritius.
What is UPI?
Unified Payments Interface, commonly known as UPI, has revolutionized digital payments in India, offering a seamless way to transact from buying groceries to purchasing gadgets without any additional charges. Developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), UPI allows users to send and receive money instantly by simply scanning a QR code or using a phone number. Unlike traditional digital payment methods, UPI directly debits the amount from the linked bank account.
Supported by various first-party and third-party platforms like BHIM, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, PhonePe, and BharatPe, UPI has gained widespread acceptance among Indian banks and merchants. It offers enhanced security features such as direct linkage to the user’s phone number and ceases to function if the SIM card is removed. To address connectivity issues, UPI Lite was introduced, allowing transactions without a PIN or internet, albeit with certain transaction limits.
List of countries that officially support UPI payment:
Sri Lanka
Mauritius
France
UAE
Singapore
Bhutan
Nepal
Beyond India, UPI has expanded its reach to several countries including Sri Lanka, Mauritius, France, UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, and Nepal. Bhutan was among the earliest adopters of UPI outside India, followed by France, which enabled UPI payments at iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower. Recently, the UAE, a significant trade partner of India, announced a partnership to adopt UPI payments in collaboration with Mashreq Bank.
Also Read: Travelling to Singapore from India? Now make UPI Payment with PhonePe
How to use UPI outside India?
To utilize UPI for transactions outside India, you must first enable international payments within the relevant apps. For instance, if you’re using the PhonePe app, navigate to the settings menu and activate international payments. Once activated, you can seamlessly conduct UPI transactions abroad.
It’s advisable not to rely solely on UPI while traveling internationally, as its acceptance is limited to specific locations and merchants. Since these transactions involve international currency conversion, your bank may levy a small fee for processing.
Here’s how to enable international UPI payments on PhonePe: Click on your profile picture, then go to “payment management” and select “international.” Choose your bank and authenticate the process by entering your UPI PIN. Once activated, international UPI payments remain active for six months and require reactivation thereafter.
To deactivate international payments, follow the same steps, click disable, and authenticate with your UPI PIN.
Alternatively, you can utilize RuPay credit/debit cards for transactions in countries like Bhutan, Nepal, Mauritius, Singapore, and UAE. Note that spending limits may vary depending on the country, and UPI transactions require an active internet connection. Currently, only a select number of banks support UPI international payments.
