NPCI International Expands UPI Across UAE to Advance Cashless Economy

NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), the international arm of NPCI, is extending the acceptance of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in the United Arab Emirates, as per news reports. The plan is to enable smoother transactions for Indian residents and tourists in the region using familiar mobile payment platforms.

To implement this, NIPL has partnered with NeoPay (Mashreq Bank), Network International, and Magnati. These tie-ups allow QR-based UPI payments at select retail outlets. Merchants that already live with UPI acceptance include Dubai Duty Free and Lulu Hypermarket.

Targeting High-Frequency Sectors

The rollout focuses on sectors like retail, food and hospitality, entertainment, transport, and daily-use services. Transactions can be completed in Indian rupees, with real-time exchange rates shown during checkout. Safety protocols like RBI’s 2-factor authentication are built in.

As per India’s Ministry of Tourism, more than 7 million Indians visit the UAE annually. This makes India the largest source of foreign visitors to the UAE, underlining the demand for interoperable payment systems between the two countries.

The UAE’s goal is to shift to a digital-first economy, with Dubai aiming to reach 90% digital transactions by 2026. UPI’s rollout in merchant systems supports this target by adding more options for non-cash payments.

NIPL's Role 

NIPL was incorporated in April 2020 as NPCI’s international arm. Apart from facilitating Indian payments abroad, it also assists other countries with real-time payment infrastructure. The UAE project is part of an expansion strategy.

Read More: Namibia to Adopt India’s UPI System for Real-Time Digital Payments Soon!

Conclusion

The expanded UPI access in the UAE adds a familiar digital payment option for Indian users while aligning with local efforts to reduce cash transactions. Rollout is ongoing across more sectors and locations.

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