India – Apple Pay is now available in India on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, with Mac support coming soon, according to Apple.
The service lets users pay in stores, in apps and on the web without typing a PIN or entering a one-time password (OTP) at checkout, the company says.
At launch, Apple Pay supports Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards. Cardholders can use them at thousands of in-store and online merchants across India, as well as anywhere that accepts NFC transactions.
Apple frames the rollout as a response to a growing appetite for cashless payments in the country.
“India is home to a dynamic and digitally savvy population that continues to embrace a cashless future while expecting the highest standards of security and privacy, and we’re so excited to bring Apple Pay to users in India today,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s Vice President of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.
“Apple Pay makes everyday payments with a card easy, secure, and private — from simply tapping to pay in stores without an extra app, PIN, or OTP to checking out online without repeatedly entering payment information,” Bailey further explained.
Axis Bank, the first issuer on the platform, links the launch to a wider shift in how people pay.
“We are at a significant inflection point in payments, where technology, security and changing customer expectations are reshaping how people transact. At Axis Bank, our aspiration is to remain at the forefront of this transformation by building payment experiences that are progressive, trusted and deeply relevant to our customers,” said Amitabh Chaudhry, MD & CEO of Axis Bank.
“The introduction of Apple Pay advances this ambition, bringing greater choice and flexibility to our Credit Card customers, with support across the Mastercard and Visa networks. As payments become increasingly embedded in customers’ everyday digital lives, our focus is on bringing together innovation and trust, while making every interaction more intuitive and relevant. More importantly, this reflects our vision of a more connected and sophisticated payments ecosystem, where technology enables convenience and confidence in every transaction,” Chaudhry continued.
Security is central to the design, Apple says. When a customer adds a card, the actual card number is stored neither on the device nor on Apple’s servers, and Apple does not share it with the merchant.
Instead, the system assigns a unique Device Account Number, which is encrypted and held in the Secure Element, an industry-standard certified chip built to store payment information on the device. The card networks point to tokenisation as the safeguard.
“As India’s digital economy accelerates and consumers seek seamless and secure payment experiences, the introduction of Apple Pay for our Axis Bank-issued Mastercard credit card holders ushers in a new era of contactless commerce, giving Indian consumers greater confidence and peace of mind with every transaction,” said Gautam Aggarwal, President of Mastercard India and South Asia.
“With Mastercard’s tokenisation technology, every Apple Pay transaction is protected by a unique, cryptographically secured token, ensuring card details are never shared with merchants, safeguarding consumers against fraud,” Aggarwal added.
On the other hand, Visa echoed, “The launch of Apple Pay in India marks an important milestone in the evolution of the country’s digital payments journey,” said Suresh Sethi, Group Country Manager of Visa India and South Asia.
“By bringing together Apple’s intuitive consumer experience with Visa’s trusted global network and tokenisation capabilities, Apple Pay brings consumers in India a simpler, safer, and more seamless way to pay. Together, we are expanding consumer choice and helping shape the next generation of commerce in India,” Sethi concluded.
On privacy, Apple says it does not retain transaction information that can be tied back to the user. Transactions, it adds, stay between the user, the merchant and the user’s bank or card issuer.
Users who lose an iPhone or have it stolen can locate it, lock it or suspend payments from that device through the Find My app, Apple says.
Setting up the service takes two routes. Customers can add a card to Apple Wallet through the latest version of the Axis Bank app, or open the Wallet app on iPhone, tap the plus sign and follow the prompts to add an eligible card.
In stores, users double-click the side button or Home button, authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID or a device passcode if prompted, and hold the iPhone or Apple Watch near the contactless reader.
Online, Apple Pay works on iPhone and iPad, with Mac support to follow. Apple says this spares users from creating accounts or repeatedly typing contact, card, shipping and billing details.
Cardholders will also keep earning the rewards and benefits offered by their cards when they pay with Apple Pay, according to Apple.
India joins a network that Apple says spans more than 90 countries and regions and works with more than 11,000 bank and network partners worldwide.
