Apple Pay Launches in India With Axis Bank Credit Cards

Apple Pay is now available in India for Visa and Mastercard credit cards issued by Axis Bank. Customers can tap to pay in stores with an iPhone or Apple Watch, or check out in apps and on the web with an iPhone or iPad. Apple says Mac support is coming soon.

The launch is limited to Axis Bank credit cards. Although earlier reporting pointed to UPI support, Apple's announcement does not mention UPI, debit cards, or cards from other Indian banks. Eligible cards can be added through the latest Axis Bank app or by tapping the plus button in Wallet on an iPhone.

For in-store purchases, users authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode before holding their iPhone or Apple Watch near a contactless reader. Apple says customers can also check out online without entering a card number, PIN, or one-time password, and will continue to receive the rewards and benefits attached to their cards.

Apple says the service is accepted by millions of merchants in India, including Apple Stores, Blinkit, Croma, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg, and Zomato. The company also names BillDesk, Cashfree, Juspay, Paytm, PayU, Pine Labs, and Razorpay among the payment providers bringing Apple Pay to their merchant networks. Eligible cards can be used wherever NFC payments are accepted.

As with Apple Pay elsewhere, a card's actual number is not stored on the device or Apple's servers, or shared with merchants. Instead, an encrypted Device Account Number is stored in the device's Secure Element. Apple says it does not retain transaction information that can be tied to the user.

Apple lists an iPhone XR or later running iOS 18 or later as a requirement. Apple Watch use requires a Series 6 or later running watchOS 11 or later, paired with an iPhone XR or later.