Brief
Apple Pay launches in India via Axis Bank, limited to Visa and Mastercard cards
Apple Pay goes live in India with Axis Bank, but only eligible Visa and Mastercard cards are supported at launch.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Apple Pay officially launched in India on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, through a partnership with Axis Bank, according to Gulf News.
The service initially supports only eligible Axis Bank‑issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards. Cards on India’s domestic RuPay network and the country’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) are not eligible at launch.
Customers with qualifying Axis Bank cards can add them via Apple Wallet or the Axis Bank mobile app and use Apple Pay for in‑store, app and online purchases, authenticating transactions with Face ID, Touch ID or a device passcode.
Reuters had previously reported that Apple had held talks with larger rivals HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank but had not secured agreements, explaining why other Indian banks are not part of the initial rollout.
Key facts
- Apple Pay launched in India on September 30, 2026 through Axis Bank. (gulfnews.com)
- Only eligible Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards are supported at launch. (gulfnews.com)
- Cards on the RuPay network and UPI are not supported initially. (gulfnews.com)
Sources
- [1] gulfnews.com — originally reported as “Apple Pay finally launches in India after years on the sidelines — but there's a catch”
