Apple Pay is set to launch in India by October, reports Business Standard citing people familiar with the matter. The service will support major credit card networks like Visa and Mastercard, but it will not support transactions via the country's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) at launch. Apple would need clearance from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and must partner with a sponsor bank to route transactions. Negotiations are said to be ongoing. Bloomberg reported in February that Apple has been in talks with major Indian banks to get Apple Pay running in the country this year.

The launch represents a significant milestone for Apple's mobile payments strategy in the region. While the service will not support UPI, the absence of this feature is a notable limitation given UPI's dominance in India. The company will need to navigate regulatory clearance and secure banking partnerships before the October launch date.

This expansion follows Apple Pay's earlier launches in the Philippines and other markets, signaling a growing push into international mobile payments. Apple's ability to integrate with India's existing payment infrastructure will be critical to the service's success.