If you use an iPhone in India, there is finally something new to try in your Wallet app. Apple Pay launches in India on September 30, 2026, after years of waiting.
At the moment, though, the launch is not as wide as some people might have expected. Apple has started with Axis Bank, and only eligible Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards can be used with Apple Pay right now. Support for other banks is expected to grow over time.
That immediately raises a few questions.
Can you use Apple Pay instead of UPI? Which cards actually work? Can you pay at shops with your iPhone? Is it safe? And perhaps the biggest question for Indian users — what is the point of Apple Pay when UPI is already everywhere?
The answer is a little different from what many people may be expecting.
Apple Pay is finally here
Apple Pay is Apple’s payment service that lets you use an eligible bank card through an Apple device instead of carrying the physical card everywhere.
The idea isn’t particularly complicated. You add your supported card to Apple Wallet, verify it, and then use your iPhone or Apple Watch to make a contactless payment at a compatible payment terminal.
You don’t have to take out your physical credit card every time. You also don’t have to type your card number whenever you make a supported online or in-app purchase.
Apple says Apple Pay is available in India on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, while Mac support is coming soon.
For people who already use Apple devices every day, this makes Apple Pay feel more like an extension of the Wallet app than a completely separate payment application.
Which cards work with Apple Pay in India?
This is probably the first thing you should check before getting too excited about Apple Pay.
At launch, Apple Pay works with eligible Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
That means having an iPhone isn’t enough. Your bank card also needs to be supported.
If you have an Axis Bank card on another payment network, you shouldn’t assume that it will work. And if your card is from another bank, you will have to wait until that bank is added to Apple Pay.
Apple has said it wants to expand the service through additional banking partners as their technical readiness and card portfolios allow.
So this first launch is better understood as the beginning of Apple Pay in India rather than the final version of the service.
What about HDFC, ICICI and other banks?
This is something many Indian iPhone users will probably be watching closely.
Apple Pay’s first Indian banking partner is Axis Bank. Other major banks are not part of the initial launch.
There had been reports earlier this year about discussions involving banks such as HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, but those discussions did not result in support at the time of the September 30 launch. Reuters reported that talks with other major Indian banks were continuing.
So if you are an HDFC or ICICI credit card user, don’t worry if your card isn’t appearing as an option in Apple Wallet. It doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong with your phone.
The bank simply isn’t supported yet.
How do you actually pay with Apple Pay?
This is where Apple Pay is quite straightforward.
Once your eligible card has been added to Apple Wallet, you can use your iPhone at a contactless payment terminal.
You authenticate the payment using Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode, depending on the Apple device you’re using.
Then you bring the device close to the contactless terminal.
That’s it.
There is no need to hand your physical credit card to the cashier.
Apple Pay can also be used when the payment option is available inside a supported app or on a website. Apple says the service is designed to work for payments in stores, apps and on the web.
This could be especially convenient for people who already use their iPhone for shopping, travel bookings, food orders and other everyday purchases.
Is Apple Pay another UPI app?
No, and this is probably the most important thing to understand.
Apple Pay is not UPI.
If you are used to opening Google Pay, PhonePe, or another UPI app, scanning a QR code and sending money directly from your bank account, Apple Pay doesn’t work in the same way.
The initial Apple Pay launch in India is focused on card payments.
UPI, which has become a normal part of everyday life for millions of Indians, is not part of Apple’s initial Apple Pay rollout. RuPay cards are also not supported at launch.
So you could still use UPI for one payment and Apple Pay for another.
For example, if you are paying a small local shop using a QR code, you may continue using UPI. If you want to pay using your eligible Axis Bank credit card at a contactless terminal, Apple Pay gives you another option.
In other words, Apple Pay doesn’t necessarily ask Indian users to change the way they already pay.
It simply adds another way to use a card.
Why would someone use Apple Pay when UPI is so easy?
This is where the Indian market makes Apple’s entry interesting.
UPI is incredibly convenient, and people are already comfortable with it. According to Reuters, UPI accounted for about 84% of India’s digital payment volume, based on an IMF 2025 report.
So Apple isn’t entering a market where people are waiting for their first easy digital payment method.
Instead, Apple Pay is coming into a market where digital payments are already deeply established.
For some users, the attraction will simply be convenience.
If you already carry an iPhone and use a credit card regularly, being able to leave the physical card in your wallet and tap your phone at a payment terminal can be useful.
It may also appeal to people who prefer keeping their payment cards inside the Apple ecosystem rather than using another payment application.
There is also the privacy and security side of Apple Pay, which Apple has made a major part of the service.
Is Apple Pay safe?
Apple Pay uses tokenisation rather than simply passing your actual card number to the merchant.
Apple says the real card number isn’t stored on the device or Apple’s servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is used for payments. Transactions are also authorised using features such as Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode.
For an ordinary user, the practical benefit is quite simple.
You don’t need to type or show your physical card details every time you pay.
Of course, that doesn’t mean users can completely forget about security. Your iPhone passcode, Apple Account, and banking details still need to be protected.
But Apple Pay’s security design is one of the reasons the company has pushed the service as a private way to pay.
Which Apple devices can use Apple Pay?
The service isn’t restricted to the latest iPhone.
At launch, Apple Pay works across supported iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch devices. Mac support is expected to arrive later.
Current reporting says Apple Pay requires an iPhone XR or later running iOS 18 or later, while Apple Watch support starts with Apple Watch Series 6 and later running watchOS 11 or later.
Before trying to add a card, check your device’s software version and whether your bank card is eligible.
Can you use Apple Pay at Indian shops?
Yes, where contactless payments are accepted.
Apple has worked with Indian payment companies and point-of-sale providers to make Apple Pay available across a large merchant network. Companies involved include Cashfree, JusPay, Mswipe, Paytm, PayU, Pine Labs, Razorpay and Worldline.
This is important because Apple doesn’t need every individual shop to create a completely new payment system.
If a merchant already has a compatible contactless payment setup, Apple Pay can work through that infrastructure.
Still, there can be differences between individual stores and terminals, so it is sensible to look for the contactless payment symbol or ask the merchant if contactless card payments are accepted.
What about online shopping?
Apple Pay isn’t only about tapping your iPhone at a shop.
Where Apple Pay is offered at checkout, you can select it and complete the payment using your Apple device.
That can save you from repeatedly entering card details, billing information and other checkout details.
Apple says its India launch covers payments in apps and on the web as well as in physical stores.
The important word here is supported. Not every website or app will automatically offer Apple Pay just because the user has it set up.
What about RuPay?
For now, RuPay users will have to wait.
The initial Apple Pay rollout supports eligible Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards. RuPay is not supported at launch.
That could become a more important issue as Apple expands the service because RuPay is a major part of India’s card ecosystem.
But Apple has not announced that RuPay support is available in the current launch, so users shouldn’t expect a RuPay card to work simply because it is issued by a supported bank.
Will Apple Pay replace Google Pay or PhonePe?
Probably not in the way some headlines might make it sound.
For an Indian user, there is no reason to stop using UPI simply because Apple Pay has arrived.
You might use UPI when you want to send money to another person, scan a QR code or make a direct bank payment.
You might use Apple Pay when you want to pay using your eligible credit card.
That’s actually the interesting part of Apple’s India entry. It doesn’t have to replace the payment methods Indians already use to become useful.
It can simply sit alongside them.
Why did Apple take so long to launch it in India?
Apple Pay launched internationally years ago, but India is a very different payments market.
The country already had a strong digital payment infrastructure, and UPI became extremely popular. Apple also needed to work with banks, card networks and the local payment ecosystem before bringing the service to Indian customers.
There were reports earlier in 2026 about Apple discussing the service with several Indian banks, followed by reports of delays related to commercial discussions with banks.
Now that Apple Pay is officially live, the company has taken its first step into India’s card-payment market.
Whether that eventually becomes a much bigger business will depend partly on how quickly more banks and cards join.
What can we expect from Apple Pay in India?
The biggest thing to watch is expansion.
Right now, the choice is relatively limited because the service starts with eligible Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
But if more major Indian banks join, Apple Pay will immediately become relevant to many more iPhone users.
The same is true for card networks and merchants.
Apple has already said that it wants to bring the service to more customers through additional issuer partnerships.
For Indian users, that may be more important than the launch itself.
Having Apple Pay available is one thing. Having your own bank card supported is what will determine whether you actually use it.
Apple Pay in India: the bigger picture
Apple Pay’s arrival is interesting, but it doesn’t mean India is suddenly moving away from UPI.
The two payment methods are built around different uses.
UPI remains the familiar option for direct bank payments and QR-based transactions, while Apple Pay gives users a way to use supported cards through Apple devices.
For an iPhone owner with an eligible Axis Bank credit card, the experience could be very convenient. For everyone else, the launch is more of a sign of what’s coming than something that immediately changes their daily payment routine.
The first version of Apple Pay in India is fairly limited, but it is also just the beginning. More banks, more cards and wider merchant support could make the service much more useful over time.
For now, if you have a supported Axis Bank card and an eligible Apple device, you can finally put that physical card aside and try paying with your iPhone or Apple Watch.
And for everyone waiting for their bank to arrive on Apple Pay, the next part of the story will be watching which banking partners Apple adds next.
