Apple has officially launched its Apple Pay contactless payment service in India, bringing the company’s digital wallet platform to one of the world’s largest digital payments markets. The service is initially available through a partnership with Axis Bank, allowing eligible users to make payments using their Apple devices.
At the initial stage, Axis Bank Visa and Mastercard credit cards can be added to Apple Wallet. Users can then use their iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch to make payments at participating stores, restaurants, shopping outlets and online platforms. Apple says support for Mac will be introduced soon.
No PIN or OTP Required
One of the key features of Apple Pay in India is that users do not have to enter their card PIN or an OTP every time they make a payment. Transactions can be authenticated using Face ID, Touch ID or the device passcode. For contactless payments, users can bring their device close to a compatible payment terminal after authentication.
Apple also uses tokenisation to protect card information. Instead of sharing the actual card number with merchants, Apple Pay uses a unique device account number and security technology for transactions.
Which Devices Support Apple Pay?
Apple Pay is currently available on supported iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch devices. For iPhone, Apple says the service requires iPhone XR or later with iOS 18 or later. Apple Watch support starts with Series 6 and later models running watchOS 11 or later. Mac support is expected to follow.
Axis Bank Cards Supported Initially
For now, Apple Pay is limited to eligible Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards. RuPay cards are not supported at launch, while Apple is expected to expand the service to additional banks and card networks in the future.
The arrival of Apple Pay gives Indian consumers another card-based contactless payment option alongside the country’s widely used UPI system. Unlike UPI, Apple Pay works by using a linked credit or debit card rather than transferring money directly between bank accounts.
