NPCI International Payments, the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has partnered with the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based FinTech Magnati to enable Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions for Indian visitors in the UAE.
The collaboration will initially allow Quick Response (QR)-based UPI payments at Dubai Duty Free, with plans for broader adoption across key sectors like retail, hospitality, transport and supermarkets. This initiative is set to benefit more than 12 million Indians travelling to the UAE annually, enhancing their payment experience through seamless and real-time digital transactions.
“This partnership strengthens economic and cultural ties between India and the UAE while empowering Indian travellers with a superior payment experience abroad,” said Ritesh Shukla, CEO, NPCI International Payments.
Currently, UPI payments are accepted in seven countries, including Bhutan, Mauritius, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka and France, with over 20 applications such as Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM), PhonePe, Paytm and Google Pay supporting international transactions.
Additionally, NPCI International Payments is collaborating with countries like The UAE and Mauritius to develop a card scheme similar to RuPay. It is also exploring international Peer-to-Peer (P2P) and Peer-to-Merchant (P2M) payment use cases and participating in Project Nexus, a multi-lateral initiative under the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) to connect instant payment systems across nations.
This partnership marks a significant step in extending UPI’s global footprint while fostering closer economic collaboration between India and its international partners.
