After more than a decade of waiting, Apple Pay is heavily rumored to make its long-awaited debut in India as early as October 2026. According to reports from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and Reuters, the Cupertino-based giant is gearing up for a localized rollout, though initial availability may look a bit different from established digital wallets in the country.
1. Initial Launch Partners & Card Support
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Axis Bank First: Reports indicate that Axis Bank will be Apple’s primary launch partner, with initial support centered around Axis Bank credit cards.
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Other Lenders: While Apple has been in discussions with major institutions like HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, final commercial terms and integrations for those lenders are reportedly still being worked out.
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Tokenised Payments: Users will be able to add tokenised debit or credit cards to compatible Apple devices and authenticate transactions securely using Face ID or Touch ID at NFC-enabled contactless payment terminals.
2. What’s the Status of UPI?
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While Bloomberg’s reporting points to potential UPI integration alongside card payments, other industry reports suggest the initial rollout may focus strictly on card-based transactions, with UPI support potentially following in later phases. Given how deeply entrenched UPI is in India’s daily commerce, full-scale adoption will likely hinge on seamless UPI integration.
3. How It Will Work
Once active, iPhone and Apple Watch users can bypass opening separate banking applications. By double-clicking the side button and authenticating via biometric security, users can tap their device directly against standard card readers to clear payments.
Apple has not yet issued an official statement confirming the exact October timeline or final partner list, but anticipation is high as the company looks to tap into India’s booming digital payments ecosystem.
