The Reserve Bank of India has issued consolidated directions under the Digital Payments E-mandate Framework, 2026, effective immediately. According to reports from ABP Live, these new rules do not overhaul the system but refine existing norms to reduce friction for users. The changes aim to make recurring digital payments smoother, safer, and more user-friendly without adding extra costs or complicated steps.
One of the biggest changes addresses a common problem users faced earlier. Previously, auto-debits were tied to specific card details like the 16-digit number, expiry date, and CVV. If your debit or credit card was replaced due to expiry, loss, fraud, or an upgrade, all standing instructions would stop working. Under the new framework, issuers can now map existing e-mandates to the newly issued card. This means your SIPs, subscription payments, or bill auto-debits will continue without interruption, as reported by ABP Live. Users no longer need to re-register mandates every time a card is replaced, removing a major inconvenience.
The RBI has established clear transaction limits for auto-debit payments under the new framework. Payments up to ₹15,000 can proceed without additional authentication. For amounts above this threshold, users must approve the transaction using OTP or AFA. However, for categories like insurance, mutual funds, and credit card bill payments, the limit without OTP is higher, going up to ₹1 lakh per transaction, as reported by ABP Live.
The framework ensures customer protection through transparent pricing. The RBI has made it clear that no charges can be levied for using the e-mandate facility, ensuring customers will not see any convenience or processing fees simply for enabling auto-pay. The framework also strengthens grievance handling, with banks required to clearly mention complaint mechanisms in alerts and ensure proper dispute resolution systems, extending protection against unauthorised transactions to recurring payments as well, according to ABP Live.
