Apple Pay is now available in India, with initial support limited to Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards. Users can add eligible cards to the iPhone and make tap-to-pay purchases at compatible point-of-sale terminals using NFC technology. Several outlets also note that Apple is preparing broader device support, including potential Mac integration.
The rollout comes after years of delays and negotiations involving India’s banks and financial rules. Sources describe Apple entering a payments market largely dominated by UPI-based services such as Google Pay, PhonePe, and other platforms. While some reports focus on the limited “starting with one partner” approach, others mention expectations that Apple will expand bank and card support over time.
There is some difference in emphasis across coverage. NDTV and AppleInsider highlight the long negotiations and Apple’s wider rollout plan, while Quartz and Engadget stress that the service arrives on a limited basis focused on Axis Bank. Reports from Times of India and NDTV also discuss earlier expectations for an October debut and the possibility of future UPI integration, though current availability remains card-based.
