Apple Pay Could Launch in India as Early as October with Axis Bank Support

Apple is reportedly preparing to introduce Apple Pay in India, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The move would bring Apple’s payment service to one of the world’s largest digital payments markets, where PhonePe, Google Pay, and Paytm are already widely used.

According to other reports, Apple could initially launch Apple Pay in India with Axis Bank credit cards. The company is also said to be in discussions with HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, although the two banks have reportedly not yet reached commercial agreements with Apple. Apple could add additional banking partners through separate agreements at a later stage.

Apple Pay enables users to store tokenised card information on supported Apple devices and make contactless payments without opening a separate payment application. Transactions can be authenticated using Face ID or Touch ID, with support available across devices including the iPhone and Apple Watch.

Apple could also bring UPI support alongside card-based payments in India. Bloomberg reported in February that the company had been discussing its India payment plans with ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, Mastercard, and Visa.

Launch Timeline

Gurman reports that Apple is preparing to introduce Apple Pay in India as early as October. Apple has yet to officially confirm the launch date, participating banks, or UPI support. The reported rollout could initially begin with Axis Bank before expanding to additional banking partners.

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