Apple Pay is finally available in India. Starting September 30, Apple has brought its contactless payment service to the country, initially with Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards. The launch gives Apple users another way to pay in stores, apps and websites, although it does not replace UPI and the initial rollout is limited.
What Apple Pay supports in India
At launch, eligible Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards can be added to Apple Wallet and used with compatible Apple devices. Axis Bank says customers can add cards through its mobile banking app or directly through Apple Wallet. Apple Pay works on iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad, while Mac support is coming later.
For in-store purchases, users authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID or their device passcode and hold the device near a contactless payment terminal. Online and in-app purchases can also use Apple Pay where the service is supported. Axis Bank’s Apple Pay guide says eligible cards can be used anywhere the Apple Pay or contactless symbol is accepted.
Apple Pay is not another UPI
The most important distinction for Indian users is that Apple Pay is card-based, while UPI moves money directly between bank accounts. Apple Pay therefore sits alongside India’s existing payment ecosystem rather than replacing it.
That difference also explains the limited launch. Apple Pay initially supports Axis Bank credit cards on Visa and Mastercard, while India’s RuPay network is not supported at launch. Major banks including HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank have not yet been announced as launch partners. The service also depends on merchants and payment terminals supporting Apple Pay.
According to Reuters, Apple has been in discussions with additional Indian banks, but agreements with those institutions were not yet finalized at launch.
How Apple Pay protects card details
Apple Pay does not simply store a user’s physical card number on the iPhone. Axis Bank says a unique Device Account Number is assigned to the card and securely stored in the device’s Secure Element. Apple says the actual card number is not stored on its servers or shared with merchants.
Transactions are authenticated on the device using Apple’s built-in security features. This tokenisation model means a merchant does not receive the underlying card number during an Apple Pay transaction.
How to add an Axis Bank card
- Open the Axis Bank mobile banking app or Apple Wallet.
- Select the eligible Visa or Mastercard credit card.
- Choose Add to Apple Wallet and follow the verification steps.
- Once the card is added, authenticate payments using Face ID, Touch ID or the device passcode.
Axis Bank notes that an additional verification step, such as an OTP or bank-app verification, may be required while setting up a card.
What this means for Indian users
Apple Pay’s arrival is significant because India is already one of the world’s most mature digital-payment markets. The service is entering an environment where UPI is deeply established, so its initial value is likely to be strongest for people who already use Apple devices and Axis Bank credit cards and want a device-based way to use those cards.
For Apple, India also represents a major expansion of its financial-services footprint. The company has spent years operating around India’s UPI-first payments environment, and today’s launch gives its hardware ecosystem a direct role in contactless card payments.
The bigger question is what happens next. Broader bank support, more card networks and wider merchant acceptance will determine how useful Apple Pay becomes beyond the initial Axis Bank rollout.
Updated September 30, 2026.
