Jai Siya Ram
India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is rapidly expanding its global footprint, an initiative that has gained significant momentum through international partnerships, including those discussed during forums like the G20, and has recently seen a key milestone with its launch in Qatar.
Here are the full details of UPI’s global journey, focusing on its international expansion and the specific implementation in Qatar:
1. UPI’s Global Expansion: The Digital Diplomacy
The internationalization of UPI is spearheaded by NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The goal is to establish UPI as a model for Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) globally, offering a real-time, low-cost, and secure payment system.
Key Countries/Regions Where UPI is Live or Integrated:
As of recent launches, Qatar has become the eighth country to adopt UPI standards in some form. Other key countries include:
| Country/Region | Type of Integration | Details |
| Qatar | Person-to-Merchant (P2M) Payments | Indian travelers and residents can make QR-code-based UPI payments at merchant locations. |
| France | P2M Payments | Launched at the Eiffel Tower and expanded to outlets like Galeries Lafayette, primarily for Indian tourists. |
| Singapore | Linkage for P2P and P2M | Linked with Singapore’s PayNow for instant, cross-border Person-to-Person (P2P) transfers and is also accepted at select merchants. |
| United Arab Emirates (UAE) | P2M Payments & NRI Support | Accepted at a wide network of merchants, benefiting Indian tourists and expatriates. NRIs can link international mobile numbers to their Indian bank accounts. |
| Bhutan | P2M Payments | First country to adopt UPI standards for QR-based payments, enabling travelers to use the BHIM app. |
| Nepal | P2M Payments | Partnership with Fonepay Payment Service Ltd, enabling Indian tourists to make QR-based payments. |
| Sri Lanka | P2M Payments | Jointly launched with RuPay for instant payments for tourists. |
| Mauritius | P2M Payments | Jointly launched with RuPay, enabling tourists and the Indian diaspora to use UPI. |
The G20 Context:
- Promoting DPI: India utilized its G20 presidency in 2023 to showcase UPI as a successful model of DPI. The G20 discussions highlighted the need for efficient, low-cost, and interoperable cross-border payment systems.
- Interoperability: The focus at G20 forums was on promoting interoperability between different fast payment systems, with the UPI-PayNow linkage (India-Singapore) being cited as a successful example of a working model.
- Global Standard: The goal is to see UPI or a UPI-like architecture adopted by other nations to promote financial inclusion and efficient remittances globally.
2. Detailed Focus on UPI in Qatar
The launch in Qatar is significant due to the large presence of the Indian expatriate community and the high volume of Indian tourists.
Key Details of the Launch:
- Status: Launched and operational for Indian travelers and residents. Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal officially inaugurated the service at a major retail chain in Doha.
- Partnerships:
- NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) (India)
- Qatar National Bank (QNB) (Local partner for merchant acquisition)
- NETSTARS (Japanese payment gateway, providing the StarPay platform to power the solution).
- Implementation: The system enables QR code-based UPI payments at Point-of-Sale (PoS) terminals for QNB-acquired merchants.
- First Merchants: The initial rollout included:
- Qatar Duty Free (QDF) at Hamad International Airport.
- LuLu Hypermarket and other Lulu Group stores in Qatar.
- Benefits:
- For Indian Travelers/Residents: Allows them to use their existing UPI apps (like PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm) for transactions in Qatari Riyal, directly debited from their Indian bank accounts, eliminating the need to carry cash or rely heavily on international debit/credit cards.
- For Businesses: Boosts retail and tourism sectors by offering a convenient payment option to the second-largest segment of international visitors to Qatar.
- For Bilateral Ties: It is seen as a “game-changer” to revolutionize trade and strengthen financial connectivity, making remittances faster and cheaper for the over 8.3 lakh Indians living in Qatar.
