Apple Pay could finally land in India by mid-2026; in talks with major banks

After more than a decade of sitting out one of the world’s fastest-growing digital payments markets, Apple Pay may finally be preparing to tap in to India.

According to a new Bloomberg report, Apple is in talks with three of the country’s largest banks, including ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank, as it works towards launching its contactless payments service in India by mid-2026. The company is reportedly awaiting regulatory approvals and ironing out commercial terms before going live.

Apple Pay first launched in the US in September 2014. Since then, it has expanded steadily across Europe, Asia and parts of the Middle East. India, despite its vast iPhone user base and booming digital payments ecosystem, has remained a notable omission. And that’s about to be rectified soon.

Apple Pay in India: Cards first, UPI later

If the current plan holds, Apple will initially roll out support for credit and debit card-based contactless payments, as we had mentioned in this article before. Conversations are also said to be underway with global card networks including Visa and Mastercard as Apple negotiates fee structures.

ALSO READ: UPI payments to go biometric with face and fingerprint authentication

The bigger piece of the puzzle is India’s homegrown payments backbone: UPI, operated by the National Payments Corporation of India and backed by the Reserve Bank of India.

Sources suggest Apple Pay will eventually integrate UPI, but that approval is still pending. The early version may therefore focus on card transactions, with UPI support layered in later.

That distinction matters. In India, UPI dominates everything from café bills to cab fares. Any payments service that wants mass adoption has to plug into it sooner rather than later.

A crowded payments battlefield

When it does arrive, Apple Pay will be stepping into a fiercely competitive market. Local heavyweights such as PhonePe and BHIM UPI have become default apps for millions of users, while Google Pay and Amazon Pay already enjoy strong traction.

Apple’s edge, as elsewhere, will likely hinge on tight hardware integration and the convenience of paying directly from an iPhone or Apple Watch using Face ID or Touch ID. For India’s growing base of premium smartphone users, that seamless experience could hold appeal.

Still, nothing is official yet. Apple has not confirmed the launch timeline or partnerships. For now, mid-2026 looks like the target, and if it materialises, it will mark the end of a long wait for Apple’s most conspicuous missing market. Will you use Apple Pay? Let us know in the comments section below.