After years of anticipation, Apple Pay makes its debut in India, starting with Visa and Mastercard credit cards issued by Axis Bank, bringing contactless payments to millions of users amid a highly competitive market.
Apple Pay has finally arrived in India, ending a wait that had stretched on for years and placing Apple’s wallet service in one of the world’s most competitive payments markets. At launch, the service is limited to eligible Visa and Mastercard credit cards issued by Axis Bank, with support for RuPay cards not yet included. Apple says the feature works on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch from the outset, while Mac compatibility is expected soon.
The first rollout appears deliberately narrow, but it still gives Indian users a familiar contactless experience inside Apple Wallet. According to reports from MacRumors and TechPP, Apple Pay can be used in shops, in apps and on websites, including at Apple Store locations and at merchants such as Blinkit, Chaayos, Croma, Interflora, Ixigo, Le15 Patisserie, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg and Zomato. It should also work wherever compatible NFC-based contactless payments are accepted.
Apple has also set out the technical requirements for the service. Users need an iPhone XR or later running iOS 18 or later, while Apple Watch support requires a Series 6 or newer model with watchOS 11, paired with a compatible iPhone. Apple’s support page says setup is done through the Wallet app, where users tap the add-card option and complete verification with the card issuer.
The launch comes after months of speculation about when Apple would bring the service to India and how broad the initial offering would be. Earlier reports suggested Apple was working with major banks and payment networks and might eventually add support for the Unified Payments Interface, India’s state-backed instant payments system. For now, though, the debut is more modest: no fees for users, no transaction cap from Apple, and no sign yet of RuPay integration at launch.
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