Apple has officially rolled out its digital payments service, Apple Pay, to users in India after several rumors. Starting today, the service is accessible across iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, with support for Mac scheduled to arrive in an upcoming release.
The deployment allows Apple device owners in India to make contactless in-store payments, as well as complete transactions within mobile applications and on the web, without entering one-time passwords (OTPs) or physical payment PINs at checkout.
Initial Bank Support and Merchant Acceptance
At launch, the service is available to cardholders holding Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards. These cards can be provisioned into Apple Pay for use across thousands of domestic merchants and any point-of-sale terminal globally that supports near-field communication (NFC) transactions.
Apple reported acceptance across millions of retail and digital merchant touchpoints nationwide. Initial supported brands include Apple Store retail locations, Blinkit, Chaayos, Comet, Croma, Interflora, Ixigo, Le15 Patisserie, Reliance brand outlets, Tata 1mg, and Zomato.
To enable wide-scale infrastructure support, Apple collaborated with major Indian payment service providers (PSPs) and aggregators, including:
- Cashfree
- JusPay
- Mswipe
- Paytm
- PayU
- Pine Labs
- Razorpay
- Worldline
Additional merchant networks and digital platforms are slated for integration over time. Standard card rewards, loyalty points, and purchase benefits offered by the issuing bank remain active when transacting through Apple Pay.
Security Architecture and Privacy Controls
Apple Pay relies on a tokenization and hardware-isolation framework designed to limit data exposure:
- Tokenized Storage: Actual credit card numbers are never stored locally on the device or on Apple servers, nor are they transmitted to merchants during transactions.
- Secure Element: Each card setup generates a unique, encrypted Device Account Number. This credential resides entirely within the Secure Element, a dedicated, industry-certified hardware chip on the device.
- Transaction Privacy: Transaction logs that can be tied directly to a specific user are not retained by Apple; settlement details remain strictly between the user, the merchant, and the issuing bank.
- Remote Management: If an Apple device is lost or compromised, users can access the Find My service to remotely locate, lock, or suspend payment authorization capabilities immediately.
Setup and Payment Flow
Eligible users can configure Apple Pay through two primary methods:
- Axis Bank Application: Customers can initiate card enrollment directly within the latest version of the Axis Bank mobile app.
- Apple Wallet Application: Users can open the native Wallet app on an iPhone, select the plus icon (+), and follow on-screen prompts to register an eligible card.
In physical retail environments, payment requires double-clicking the side or Home button, authenticating via Face ID, Touch ID, or device passcode, and holding the device near an NFC-enabled terminal.
For online and in-app transactions across supported iOS and iPadOS apps and web browsers, payments are authenticated directly on-device without manual entry of card details, shipping addresses, or contact information.
With this rollout, India joins more than 90 countries and regions where Apple Pay operates alongside a global network of over 11,000 banking and financial institution partners.
Commenting on the launch, Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet, said:
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. 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.
Amitabh Chaudhry, MD & CEO, Axis Bank, said:
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.
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.
Gautam Aggarwal, Mastercard’s president of India and South Asia, said:
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. 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.
Suresh Sethi, Visa’s group country manager of India and South Asia, said:
The launch of Apple Pay in India marks an important milestone in the evolution of the country’s digital payments journey. 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.
Nikhil Mehta, Senior Vice President – Partnerships & Business Head – Growth Initiatives (Cross-Border Payments & Affordability), said:
PayU is proud to bring Apple Pay to lakhs of Indian merchants, enabling a new era of secure and seamless authentication solutions for digital payments. Beyond introducing this world-class innovation to India, PayU will also empower merchants navigate complex technical integration and compliance processes, reinforcing its commitment to providing advanced digital financial solutions to its customers. Through PayU’s unified checkout, merchants can offer their consumers the flexibility of faster, safe, and more convenient payment option, thereby boosting conversion rates and driving business growth.