Apple Pay could launch in India as early as October 2026

Inc42 reports that Apple is eyeing an India launch for Apple Pay as early as October 2026, with Axis Bank likely to be its first banking partner. The outlet says Apple has faced regulatory, data localisation and UPI integration hurdles. Its expected card-based offering would enter a market where UPI accounts for around 84% of digital payment volumes, according to Inc42, which also reports that Apple is negotiating transaction fee-sharing terms with banks.