The Ministry of External Affairs announced on 11th Feb that the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) services would be inaugurated in Sri Lanka and Mauritius.
Additionally, RuPay card services will be introduced in Mauritius. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth are scheduled to attend the launch of UPI services in Sri Lanka and Mauritius via video conference, as stated by the ministry.
The introduction of UPI services in Sri Lanka and Mauritius will facilitate digital payments for Indian nationals traveling to these countries, as well as for tourists from Sri Lanka and Mauritius visiting India. This launch aims to benefit a diverse range of individuals by providing a quicker and smoother digital transaction experience, thus enhancing digital connectivity between nations, as highlighted by the external affairs ministry.
Furthermore, the extension of RuPay card services in Mauritius will allow Mauritian banks to issue cards based on the RuPay mechanism, enabling the usage of such cards for transactions in both India and Mauritius.
Prior to this initiative, NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) collaborated with Lyra, a prominent French expert in e-commerce and proximity payments, to introduce UPI services in France. This partnership marked a significant milestone, with the iconic Eiffel Tower becoming the first merchant in the country to accept UPI payments, thereby streamlining the transaction process for Indian tourists.
