Apple has finally added support for Apple Pay in India with support for Visa and MasterCard using Tap to Pay. Apple Pay does not support UPI at launch. This launch aligns with the timing reported by Business Standard back in August,
At launch, Apple Pay supports Axis Bank Cards, and if you have the Axis Bank app installed on your iPhone, you will be able to see it listed as a method to add your card to Apple Wallet. There have been several hints from Axis Bank regarding Apple Pay before the official launch, so it being the first bank to support the feature was expected.
Other Banks such as the State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, and more are expected to add support soon for their range of cards. The timing for the launch is notable, given the growing market for iPhones in the country. A recent report from Counterpoint Research shows that 12% of smartphone shipments in the fourth quarter of 2025 were from Apple.
To add your supported card and start using Apple Pay, follow these steps;
- Open the Wallet app on your iPhone
- Tap on the ‘+’ icon on the top
- Tap on ‘Debit or Credit Card’
- Place your card behind the top part of your iPhone or enter the card details manually.
- After your card is verified, you’re all set to use Apple Pay.
Alternatively, you can also add your card using the bank app installed on your iPhone.
According to Apple, “At launch, Apple Pay will be accepted by millions of merchants across India, including at Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Chaayos, Comet, Croma, Interflora, Ixigo, Le15 Patisserie, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg, Zomato, and more. Apple has worked closely with payment service providers (PSPs) — like Cashfree, JusPay, Mswipe, Paytm, PayU, Pine Labs, Razorpay, Worldline, and more — to bring Apple Pay to their merchant networks in India, with even more merchants and apps coming over time.”
Users in India mainly rely on UPI (Unified Payments Interface) for their transactions with their iPhones, so Apple might bring support for it soon. Android devices have had support for Tap-to-Pay via NFC for a while now, with Samsung Pay being one of the first services to support it.
Since Apple Pay is a native iPhone feature, users can simply double-click the side button on their iPhone, authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID, and hold the iPhone near the NFC reader. This method is effectively faster, as it removes the need to open a separate UPI app, scan the code, and enter the amount along with the PIN. Moreover, Apple Watch users can now pay from their wrist without having to take their iPhone out.
Are you excited to try out Apple Pay? Let us know in the comments or tweet us at @appleosophy. Be sure to download the Appleosophy App from the App Store or visit our website to stay updated with the latest Apple news!
