Good News for Indians: UPI Now Accepted Across the UAE, Know Here How It Works
Indian tourists visiting the UAE will soon have wider access to UPI payments at more merchant locations, thanks to a partnership between NIPL and Magnati. This collaboration aims to enhance payment convenience for Indian travelers, expanding UPI acceptance across retail, hospitality, and transport sectors.
Indian tourists traveling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will now be able to make payments using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) at a broader range of merchant locations, thanks to a new partnership between NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) and Magnati, a leading payment solutions provider in the Middle East.
This collaboration is set to revolutionize the way Indian travelers conduct transactions abroad by expanding the QR-based UPI payment network in the UAE.
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Details of the NIPL-Magnati Partnership
The strategic alliance between NIPL, the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), and Magnati aims to enhance the payment experience for Indian tourists visiting the UAE.
By allowing UPI as a payment method at more merchant locations across the UAE, this partnership ensures a seamless and convenient way for Indian travelers to make payments without the need for currency exchange or international credit cards.
Initially, the collaboration will be implemented at Dubai Duty-Free, providing Indian tourists with easy access to UPI payments.
Over time, the initiative will expand to other sectors including retail stores, hospitality services, transportation providers, and supermarkets, further streamlining payment options for Indian visitors in the region.
A Global Digital Payment Solution for Indian Travelers
With over 12 million Indian tourists traveling to Dubai and the UAE annually, this partnership is poised to offer significant benefits. The move aligns with NIPL’s vision of creating a global digital payments acceptance network, allowing Indian travelers to experience a more streamlined, efficient payment system during their visits abroad.
It also fosters stronger economic and cultural ties between India and the UAE, reinforcing the importance of cross-border payment solutions in today’s globalized world.
Ritesh Shukla, CEO of NIPL, highlighted the importance of this partnership, stating, “This collaboration will provide seamless payment options to millions of Indian travelers to the UAE.
It paves the way for broader economic and cultural connections between India and the UAE, enhancing the overall payment experience.”
Digital Payments as a Growth Driver for Cross-Border Transactions
Salim Awan, Managing Director of Institutional Payments Solutions at Magnati, emphasized that the partnership would significantly bolster digital payments in the UAE.
“This partnership aims to facilitate cross-border payments and offer a smooth, hassle-free payment experience to Indian travelers and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). Our goal is to create value through an interconnected global payments ecosystem,” said Awan.
UPI, widely recognized as one of the world’s most successful real-time payment systems, is used by millions across India for seamless digital transactions.
In December 2024 alone, UPI processed over 16 billion transactions, cementing its position as a global leader in digital payments.
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Indian Visitors to Dubai and UAE: A Growing Trend
India has long been one of the top sources of tourists for Dubai and the UAE. In 2023, India recorded the highest number of visitors to Dubai, with nearly 11.9 million travelers. This was followed by Saudi Arabia at 6.7 million and the United Kingdom at 5.9 million.
With this growing influx of Indian visitors, the NIPL-Magnati partnership could not have come at a better time, as it aims to cater to the increasing demand for convenient payment solutions.
UPI’s International Reach and Impact
UPI’s global reach continues to expand, with the payment system already accepted in seven countries: Bhutan, Mauritius, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, France, and the UAE. Popular apps such as BHIM, PhonePe, Paytm, and Google Pay facilitate international transactions, further broadening UPI’s global footprint.
The expansion of UPI in the UAE is expected to enhance the payment ecosystem by providing travelers with more flexibility and security when paying for goods and services abroad.
By using UPI, Indian tourists can avoid the often-cumbersome process of currency exchange, which can be both time-consuming and costly.
UPI offers a simple and secure way to make payments, ensuring that Indian travelers have a seamless experience while visiting the UAE.
The Future of Cross-Border Digital Payments
The collaboration between NIPL and Magnati represents a significant step forward in the global adoption of digital payment systems, particularly for cross-border transactions.
As UPI continues to expand its reach, the partnership will pave the way for even more countries and merchants to accept UPI payments, making it a truly global payment system.
This move is set to drive further economic cooperation between India and the UAE, enhancing the travel experience for millions of Indian tourists visiting the region.
