Apple is in talks with major Indian banks as it prepares to introduce Apple Pay in the country sometime in the middle of 2026, reports Bloomberg.
Apple is said to be in discussions with ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and Axis Bank, according to people with knowledge of the matter who spoke to the publication.
The report corroborates a story in January by Business Standard that said Apple Pay was preparing to go live in the Indian market before the end of the year. The Times of India also earlier reported the India plans for Apple Pay.
Today's report says Apple is talking through the plan with global payment networks Mastercard and Visa. UPI dominates digital payments in India, and Apple Pay is expected to support the state-backed payments interface, which allows customers to instantly transfer money and bills.
Apple Pay launched more than 10 years ago, and is already available across 89 markets globally. Late last year, India's central bank approved new rules that allow biometric authentication like Touch ID and Face ID for digital payments. The country's authentication methods previously relied on one-time passwords sent over SMS messages.
The timing comes at a good moment for Apple in India. The company recorded its highest quarterly shipments in the country during Q3 2025, reaching 5 million units and securing fourth place in the market for the first time, according to IDC data. Apple is also rapidly expanding its retail presence in India, with a sixth store opening in Mumbai on Thursday.
