Apple Pay has officially launched in India on September 30, 2026, with Axis Bank as its first Indian bank partner to offer the service to credit card customers across Visa and Mastercard networks. According to The Hindu BusinessLine, Apple Pay is Apple's digital payment service that lets users add eligible debit and credit cards to the Apple Wallet app and use them to make payments. The service is available for customers with Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards on the Wallet app for both iPhone and Apple Watch. Over the next few weeks, customers will be able to make payments at merchants, within apps and online using their iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad, with support for Mac computers available soon. Axis Bank, India's third-largest private sector bank, launched Apple Pay for its credit card customers in India on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in India's digital payments landscape. Axis Bank had 16.23 million active credit cards as of August, according to Business Standard, making it behind HDFC Bank, SBI Cards and ICICI Bank in terms of card numbers. Apple has also held talks with HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, but commercial terms with both lenders have not been finalised, meaning customers of these banks will not be able to add their cards to Apple Pay until deals are signed.
The Apple Pay launch comes as India's credit card market shows robust growth, providing a compelling foundation for Apple's entry strategy. RBI data showed 632.45 million credit-card payment transactions worth ₹2.02 trillion in August, with transaction volume up 28.1% year-on-year and transaction value rising 5.8%. According to Business Standard, the number of outstanding credit cards rose to 124.05 million in August from 112.34 million a year earlier. "Credit card usage and NFC adoption are growing at double-digit rates, and the credit card base has nearly doubled since Covid to more than 120 million," said Tarun Pathak, research director at Counterpoint Research. Axis Bank, with 16.23 million active cards, is India's fourth-largest credit-card issuer, making it a meaningful starting point for Apple Pay's expansion. "Axis Bank, India's fourth-largest credit-card issuer with 16.23 million active cards, is a meaningful starting point. With India's credit-card base now above 122 million and contactless payments gaining traction, Apple Pay has a growing card ecosystem to tap into," said Prabhu Ram, head of Industry Intelligence Group at CyberMedia Research.
The Apple Pay launch comes days before a revised merchant discount rate (MDR) framework for certain high-value UPI transactions takes effect, bringing charges to a segment of India's otherwise zero-MDR UPI ecosystem. Under the revised framework, a 0.4% MDR, capped at ₹300 per transaction, will apply to specified P2M UPI transactions above ₹2,000. Additionally, a flat ₹5 charge will apply to transactions above ₹2,000 in select sectors, including railways, telecommunications, insurance and fuel. The move comes amid longstanding US concerns over India's zero-MDR framework for UPI and RuPay, with the US Trade Representative previously arguing that the policy creates an uneven playing field for US payment networks such as Visa and Mastercard. However, the finance ministry has rejected suggestions that foreign pressure led to the introduction of MDR on UPI, stating that India's UPI policy decisions were being made independently with the aim of creating a "self-sustaining, inclusive, and affordable digital payments ecosystem."
Apple Pay is now available in more than 90 countries and regions globally, with the India launch marking a significant expansion of the service's international footprint. According to The Hindu BusinessLine, if you have an iPhone XR or later running iOS 18 or newer, you can use Apple Pay on your device, it is also available on Apple Watch Series 6 or later with watchOS 11 or later. To set up Apple Pay, open the Wallet app on the iPhone and tap the '+' (Add Card) button, choose a debit or credit card and follow the on-screen instructions, add the card details by scanning the physical card with the iPhone camera or entering them manually, or add your card via the Axis Bank app. Once the issuing bank verifies the card, it's added to Apple Wallet and can be used with Apple Pay. For iPhone payments, users can authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID while holding the device near contactless terminals, while Apple Watch users can double-click the side button and hold the watch near readers. Apple Pay can be used without Wi-Fi or mobile data for in-store purchases, as the service uses Near Field Communication (NFC) technology directly with payment terminals. Online purchases require selecting Apple Pay as the payment option and authentication through Face ID, Touch ID, or device passcode.
According to Mint, Apple maintains that actual card numbers are neither stored on devices nor on its servers, nor shared with merchants. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and stored in the Secure Element, a certified chip designed to store payment information on the device. Mastercard President for India and South Asia Gautam Aggarwal confirmed that transactions are protected through Mastercard's tokenisation technology, with a unique cryptographically secured token used for each transaction. Visa Group Country Manager for India and South Asia Suresh Sethi noted that the launch combines Apple's consumer experience with Visa's network and tokenisation capabilities. As reported by Mint, Apple Pay requires authentication through Face ID, Touch ID or a device passcode for purchases, and Apple does not retain debit or credit card transaction information that can be tied back to the user. "Their transactions stay between the user, the merchant, and their bank or card issuer," Apple stated, emphasizing user privacy protection. According to Mint, customers can make payments across merchants using their iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad, with support for Mac coming soon.
At launch, Apple Pay will be accepted by millions of merchants across India, including Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Chaayos, Comet, Croma, Interflora, Ixigo, Le15 Patisserie, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg and Zomato, according to the latest merchant list. The company has worked with Indian payments firms to enable the launch across their merchant networks, including Cashfree, JusPay, Mswipe, Paytm, PayU, Pine Labs, Razorpay and Worldline. According to The Hindu BusinessLine, Apple Pay is accepted in Apple Store, Blinkit, Chaayos, Comet, Croma, Interflora, Ixigo, Le15 Patisserie, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg, and Zomato, with the iPhone maker stating it will add more platforms and retailers over time. Axis Bank's Mastercard and Visa credit card customers can add their cards to Apple Wallet either through the bank's mobile banking application or directly through the Wallet app, once the card is added, customers can use Apple Pay while continuing to receive the rewards and benefits offered on their Axis Bank cards. Jennifer Bailey, Apple's vice-president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, stated that "India is home to a dynamic and digitally savvy population that continues to embrace a cashless future while expecting the highest standards of security and privacy," expressing excitement about bringing Apple Pay to Indian users. Apple is also looking to add more credit card issuers and merchants to the service, with UPI and RuPay support expected to be added in the future, though no timeline has been provided. The service is available on iPhone and iPad at launch, with support for Mac computers in the works.
