The impact of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is now being felt internationally. NIPL, the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has signed an agreement with NTT Data Japan in Japan, allowing Indian tourists to make payments using the UPI app on their mobile phones. Under this agreement, Japanese shopkeepers will accept UPI payments by scanning a QR code, eliminating Indian tourists’ reliance on cash or forex cards and making their shopping more convenient.
Growing Indian tourist traffic in Japan and the importance of UPI
The number of Indian tourists in Japan has exceeded 280,000 between January and August 2025. According to Masanori Kurihara, Head of Payments at NTT Data, the introduction of UPI payments will enable Japanese vendors to transact with Indian tourists more easily, and this partnership will also strengthen Japan’s tourism sector.
UPI is already available in these countries
UPI service is already available in France, UAE, Nepal, Mauritius, Peru, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Qatar, and Bhutan. In addition to Japan, NPCI plans to expand UPI to 4-6 more countries in 2025, including Thailand, Qatar, and Southeast Asian countries.
Widespread adoption of UPI in India
As of July 2025, approximately 491 million people in India are using UPI, and over 6.5 million merchants are connected. UPI accounts for approximately 85% of digital transactions in India, accounting for half of the world’s total real-time digital payments. UPI’s popularity is primarily driven by its simplicity, security, and wide reach.
India’s digital strength globally
This partnership and expansion demonstrates the global recognition of India’s digital payments technology. UPI is no longer limited to India; it also provides Indian travelers with a seamless, reliable, and quick digital payment option during their trips abroad. This is expanding India’s digital economic influence globally and opening up new dimensions for international transactions.
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