Apple Pay will be launched in India next month, with Axis Bank credit cards to be included during the initial launch, they said. If Apple Pay is launched in October 2026, it would expand the payment ecosystem of Apple into one of the world’s largest digital payment markets. Apple Pay hasn’t been available in India for years.
The reported rollout is expected to begin with Axis Bank as Apple's first banking partner in India. The application would allow Axis Bank credit card users to use Apple Pay for contactless transactions via compatible Apple devices. Apple has also been in talks with other major private-sector lenders including HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, but commercial terms with those banks have not yet been agreed, the report says. Apple, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank declined to comment.
Apple Pay is designed to make contactless payments by storing tokenised card information on Apple devices. Instead of physically presenting a card at a compatible payment terminal, users can authenticate a transaction using features such as Face ID or Touch ID, depending on their device and setup. Thus, the service provides a payment experience integrated into Apple's hardware and software ecosystem.
The launch in India comes at a time when digital payments in India are still dominated by the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). As per Reuters, UPI accounts for about 84 per cent of digital payment volume in India, so any new payment service entering the market will face high competition. So Apple Pay would enter a market where consumers are already familiar with QR code payments, instant bank transfers and other digital payment options.
It is one of the most important developments that has set up the conditions for Apple Pay to enter the Indian market and is the way in which card authentication is regulated here, and the Reserve Bank of India has also changed policies for card payments that allow services like Apple Pay to make use of biometric authentication. This is a key technical basis that Apple’s payment system will need to be able to work with Indian bank cards.
The first launch is expected to be phased rather than nationwide across all major banks from day one, the companies said in a statement. Apple plans to add lenders over time by signing bank-by-bank agreements (as in the company's other markets). And then the loans can be supported for other banks when commercial agreements are finalized.
Axis Bank’s involvement may offer Apple access to a substantial existing credit-card customer base. Reuters reported that Axis Bank had approximately 16.26 million active credit cards in July, making it India's fourth-largest credit-card provider at that time. The bank’s participation can potentially provide Apple Pay with a large initial pool of potential users.
Apple's growing presence in India's smartphone market is another reason for the launch. Apple’s share of India’s smartphone market has doubled since 2022 to 8% at the time of publishing, and Apple Pay could offer an additional service to its growing number of iPhone users, it said.
For now, the October launch is to be seen as a planned rollout and not a launch date, as Apple has not publicly announced when it will happen. If the reported plan is implemented, Axis Bank credit card users are to be the first major group in India to get Apple Pay, and more bank partnerships may follow later.
