Creditkeeda
After years of waiting, Apple Pay has finally launched in India.
Apple switched on the service on September 30, 2026, with Axis Bank as its first banking partner. At launch, eligible Axis Bank credit cards issued on the Visa and Mastercard networks can be added to Apple Wallet and used for contactless payments.
For Indian iPhone users, Apple Pay has been one of the most requested missing features for years. Until now, Apple Wallet in India could store things such as boarding passes and tickets, but Indian-issued payment cards weren't supported.
That changes today, although the initial rollout is fairly limited.
Apple Pay India: How It Works
Eligible Axis Bank credit cardholders can add their card through the Apple Wallet app or through supported Axis Bank flows.
Once the card is added and verified, Apple Pay can be used for contactless transactions at supported payment terminals.
To pay in-store:
Double-click the side button on your iPhone.
Authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID or your device passcode.
Hold the iPhone near the compatible contactless terminal.
Apple Pay can also be used with supported Apple devices and for eligible online or in-app transactions.
The physical card doesn't need to be carried for transactions made through Apple Pay.
Which Credit Cards Support Apple Pay in India?
At launch, support is limited to eligible Axis Bank credit cards on Visa and Mastercard.
Currently:
Axis Bank Visa credit cards: Supported if eligible
Axis Bank Mastercard credit cards: Supported if eligible
Axis Bank RuPay credit cards: Not supported
Axis Bank debit cards: Not supported at launch
Credit cards from other Indian banks: Not supported at launch
RuPay and UPI are also not integrated with Apple Pay at this stage.
That means HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI Card and other issuers cannot currently be added to Apple Wallet.
Is Apple Pay Secure?
Apple Pay does not provide merchants with your actual card number during a transaction.
Instead, payment credentials are tokenised and transactions use device-specific payment information and security authentication.
Payments are authorised using Face ID, Touch ID or the device passcode, adding another layer of protection compared with simply tapping a physical contactless card.
The Biggest Catch: Merchant Acceptance
Adding an eligible Axis Bank card to Apple Wallet is only half the story.
Apple Pay will not necessarily work at every contactless POS terminal in India immediately.
Merchants and payment infrastructure providers need to support Apple Pay, so acceptance is expected to be limited during the initial rollout. A terminal accepting normal contactless card payments does not automatically guarantee that Apple Pay will work there.
This should improve as payment providers and merchants enable support.
Apple Pay Is Not Replacing UPI
For everyday payments in India, UPI remains significantly more widely accepted.
Reuters reports that UPI currently accounts for around 84% of digital payment transactions in India, which puts the scale of Apple Pay's initial launch into perspective.
Apple Pay's immediate advantage is instead likely to be convenience for credit card users, especially those already accustomed to tapping their phones or watches while travelling internationally.
For Axis Bank customers, being able to keep their Indian credit card inside Apple Wallet also means they may not need to carry the physical card everywhere.
What About HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and SBI Card?
Axis Bank is only the launch partner.
Reuters reports that Apple has also been in discussions with HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, although agreements with these banks had not been finalised at the time of launch.
There is currently no confirmed timeline for when either bank, or SBI Card, will join Apple Pay.
Given the size of these issuers in India's credit card market, support from additional banks would significantly expand Apple Pay's usefulness.
Bottom Line
Apple Pay is finally live in India, but this is very much the first phase of the rollout.
For now, you need:
An eligible Axis Bank credit card
A Visa or Mastercard variant
A compatible Apple device
A merchant or payment terminal that supports Apple Pay
RuPay cards, debit cards, UPI and cards issued by other Indian banks aren't supported at launch.
Still, after years of rumours and false starts, Apple Pay in India is finally real.
The next thing to watch will be how quickly HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI Card and other issuers come on board.