NPCI International expands UPI payments across the UAE, helping Indian travelers and residents pay in Indian rupees at local stores. With support from Mashreq's NeoPay, Network International, and Magnati, the move boosts cashless payments and supports the UAE’s digital economy goals.
NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), the global arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has officially expanded the reach of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This step makes it easier for Indian travelers and residents in the UAE to use their familiar mobile apps for day-to-day purchases and services, without needing to exchange cash or switch to unfamiliar platforms.
To bring this plan to life, NIPL has partnered with leading payment and banking companies in the region—NeoPay (a part of Mashreq Bank), Network International, and Magnati. Through these partnerships, UPI payments can now be accepted via QR codes at select merchant outlets. Major businesses that already support UPI include Dubai Duty Free and Lulu Hypermarket, two popular retail destinations among Indian visitors.
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The goal of this expansion is to make digital transactions smoother and more convenient for Indian tourists and residents in the UAE. Visitors can now pay directly in Indian rupees (INR) at select shops and service providers. During checkout, customers are shown the real-time exchange rate, and payments are completed securely with features like two-factor authentication, which is standard under India’s Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines.
Sectors chosen for the rollout include retail, food and beverage, entertainment, public transport, and essential services like groceries and pharmacies. These are high-frequency areas where most travelers and residents spend regularly. By using UPI, users can enjoy fast, safe, and familiar payment experiences, just like they do in India.
The UAE is working actively towards building a cashless and digital-first economy. Dubai, in particular, has set an ambitious target of reaching 90% digital transactions by 2026. The adoption of UPI supports this goal by adding more choices for digital payments. This also reduces the need for cash handling and speeds up transactions for both customers and merchants.
India is the largest source of foreign tourists to the UAE. According to the Ministry of Tourism in India, over 7 million Indians visit the UAE every year. This includes business travelers, families, students, and tourists. With such a large number of people from India visiting regularly, it becomes important to offer them payment solutions that are easy, trusted, and already used in their home country.
Instead of exchanging money or applying for local payment cards, Indian users can now pay with UPI-enabled apps like PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm, and others. This offers a seamless experience, particularly for people who are in the UAE for short visits and don’t want the hassle of setting up new financial tools.
Formed in April 2020, NIPL is NPCI’s international business unit. Apart from enabling Indians to use UPI abroad, NIPL also helps other countries adopt real-time payment systems based on India’s experience. The project in the UAE is one of its key milestones, and part of a larger expansion strategy that aims to connect Indian payment technologies to the global economy.
The UPI expansion into the UAE brings many benefits for both Indian users and local businesses. It makes payments simpler, faster, and safer, while also supporting the UAE’s long-term digital economy goals. As rollout continues, more stores and sectors are expected to join, making it even easier for Indians to use UPI anywhere in the UAE.
