Apple Pay launches in India: iPhone XR and later supported, Apple Pay VP Jennifer Bailey on why now

After more than a decade since Apple Pay first launched in the US, Apple has finally brought its payments service to India.Starting today, Apple Pay is available in India on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, with support for Mac coming soon. At launch, customers with eligible Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards can add their cards to Apple Wallet and use Apple Pay at thousands of stores, apps and websites across India, as well as anywhere that accepts NFC payments.For Indian users, Apple Pay arrives in a market where UPI has become the default digital payment method for millions. But Apple sees its service less as a replacement for UPI and more as another way for consumers to use their existing cards.Speaking to ET Digital, Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, said the company sees Apple Pay and UPI as complementary rather than competing payment systems.“Apple Pay and UPI make digital payments easier in different ways, and we see them as complementary,” Bailey said. “UPI is an important part of India’s digital payments ecosystem, while Apple Pay gives customers a simple, secure and private way to pay with their eligible cards.”

Why Apple Pay is launching in India now

Apple Pay launched in the US in 2014, making its arrival in India more than a decade later. According to Bailey, the timing came down to a combination of partnerships, payment infrastructure and the changing digital payments landscape in India.“When it comes to Apple Pay, we introduce it to new markets when we have the right partners and local support to do so,” Bailey said.She pointed to the expansion of NFC-enabled payment terminals, the growth of e-commerce and the increasing adoption of digital payments in India as some of the factors behind the launch.Bailey also highlighted a regulatory development that Apple believes helped create the right environment for the service. “RBI’s circular on authentication mechanisms for digital payment transactions was an important development that took place last year and created a framework to support biometric authentication for card payments,” she said.Apple is launching Apple Pay in India with Axis Bank, with support from Visa and Mastercard.

Apple Pay starts with iPhone XR and above

Apple Pay requires an iPhone XR or later running iOS 18 or later. On Apple Watch, it is supported on Series 6 and later with watchOS 11 or later. The Apple Watch also needs to be paired with an iPhone XR or later.iPad users can also use Apple Pay for purchases in apps and on the web, while support for Mac is coming soon.At launch, however, card support is limited. Customers with eligible Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards can add their cards to Apple Wallet and start using Apple Pay.Apple says issuer coverage will expand over time, although Bailey did not share details about the company's roadmap for adding more banks.

How Apple Pay works in India

Setting up Apple Pay is fairly straightforward. Users can add an eligible card directly through the latest version of the Axis Bank app, or open the Wallet app on their iPhone, tap the plus sign and follow the instructions.Once the card is added, users can pay at compatible contactless terminals by double-clicking the side button on an iPhone, authenticating with Face ID, Touch ID or the device passcode if required, and holding the top of the iPhone near the payment terminal.On Apple Watch, users can double-click the side button and hold the display near the contactless reader.Apple Pay can also be used inside supported apps and on websites, allowing users to avoid repeatedly entering card numbers, billing information, shipping details and other payment information.Importantly, users continue to receive the rewards and benefits associated with their cards when paying through Apple Pay.

Apple Pay is not trying to replace UPI

The biggest question around Apple Pay's India launch is perhaps its relevance in a market where consumers are already accustomed to scanning a QR code and paying through UPI.Apple's answer is that Apple Pay is aimed at a different part of the payments ecosystem: card users who want the convenience of contactless payments without carrying or repeatedly entering their physical card details.“We see these customers will really enjoy the easy, secure and private experience that Apple Pay delivers in India and around the world — all across the devices they already love,” Bailey said.She also pointed to rising card usage in India and said Apple Pay could make existing cards more relevant for everyday transactions.“We see Apple Pay as having the potential to make card payments more convenient and relevant for everyday spending in India, especially as we see card usage climbing,” Bailey said.The service also gives cardholders another way to access the rewards and benefits attached to their cards.

Security is a major part of the pitch

Apple is positioning privacy and security as central to Apple Pay.When a card is added to Apple Pay, the actual card number is not stored on the device or Apple's servers and is not shared with the merchant. Instead, Apple uses a unique Device Account Number, which is encrypted and stored in the Secure Element on the device.Each transaction is also authenticated by the user's device, using Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode where required.For Mastercard users, the payment network says its tokenisation technology means the actual card details are not shared with merchants. Instead, transactions use a unique, cryptographically secured token.Apple also says it does not retain transaction information that can be tied back to the user. Transactions remain between the customer, merchant and card issuer.If an iPhone is lost or stolen, users can use Find My to locate the device, lock it or suspend payments.

What about NFC payments outside major cities?

India's contactless payment infrastructure has expanded considerably, although availability can vary by merchant and location.Apple says contactless-capable terminals are increasingly available beyond the country's major metros, and expects acceptance to grow further as Apple Pay expands.Bailey said Apple expects issuer coverage to increase over time as well, giving more customers the ability to use the cards they already carry with Apple Pay.While Apple did not provide a specific timeline for additional banks, Bailey said the company expects “issuer coverage to continue expanding over time”.

Apple wants Wallet to go beyond payments

Apple Pay is also an important step in Apple's broader Wallet strategy in India.The company has already added support for digital boarding passes, while car keys recently arrived in Wallet with Mahindra. With iOS 27, Apple has also introduced Create a Pass, which allows users to turn certain physical passes and cards into digital passes in Wallet.For Apple, payments are just one part of the longer-term vision.“Our vision with Wallet has always been to replace users’ physical wallet with an easy, secure and private digital wallet,” Bailey said.She pointed to future possibilities around transit, IDs, keys and other Wallet features, although Apple is not yet sharing details about what will come next for India.“With the introduction of Apple Pay, we’re taking a significant step forward in bringing our vision of Wallet to life for India,” Bailey said.For now, the Apple Pay experience in India starts with something relatively simple: adding an eligible Axis Bank credit card to an iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch and tapping to pay.But the significance of the launch goes beyond that first transaction. After waiting more than a decade, Apple is finally entering one of the world's largest digital payments markets, with the first version of Apple Pay in India built around cards, NFC and Apple's broader ambition to make the iPhone and Apple Watch a bigger part of the everyday wallet.