India in talks with 7-8 countries to extend UPI services: DFS secretary

India plans to expand UPI to 7-8 more countries by next year as DFS says the goal is to prioritise Middle East and East Asia, even as banking health strengthens and insurance remains a key focus

The Indian government is in talks with at least 7-8 more countries to expand the reach of UPI beyond its borders so that domestic travelers can use the payment service, said M Nagaraju, secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, on Tuesday. 

He said that UPI (United Payments Interface) services will be available for Indians in those countries by next year.

  Currently, UPI services are available to Indians travelling to Singapore, UAE, France, Nepal, Bhutan, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka.

 

“Our goal is to ensure that UPI is available first in the Middle East and East Asia, where there