New Delhi, 11 February 2026: India’s indigenous digital payment system Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is no longer limited to the country only, but is making waves across the world. Now the need of carrying cash for currency exchange for shopping, restaurants and other transactions abroad is decreasing for Indian tourists. Now you will be able to make payment directly by just scanning the QR code even on foreign soil.
The global expansion of UPI has especially benefited Indian tourists, non-resident Indians (NRIs) and businessmen. Due to this facility, transactions on foreign soil have become more fast, secure and transparent. UPI is now becoming popular internationally due to its association with foreign banks and institutions.
Currently, except India, you can make direct payment through Indian UPI app (जेम के PhonePe, Google Pay, BHIM) in the following eight countries. Bhutan is the first neighboring country to accept UPI. Indian QR code is also widely used in Nepal. Apart from this, this facility is available in shopping malls in cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Also, transactions have become easier here due to its association with PayNow in Singapore. Similarly, UPI also works in Mauritius, a favorite destination for tourists. Cashless payment facility is now available for tourists from India’s neighboring country Sri Lanka. UPI is now accepted at famous places like the Eiffel Tower in France. Also, recently UPI services have been started in Qatar also.
UPI’s international interoperability works by connecting with local payment networks. When an Indian customer scans the QR code abroad, the system automatically calculates the currency rate and deducts the money from the Indian bank account and the merchant gets the money in local currency.
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