India has further expanded its presence on the international stage with the launch of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) at Galeries Lafayette Nice Massena, France's most famous retail store, thus making the global payments system more accessible to the country.
Key Highlights
- India expands UPI in France with launch at Galeries Lafayette Nice Massena store.
- Piyush Goyal says initiative strengthens India-France economic and technological partnership ties.
The launch was announced by the Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal during his visit to France, which thereby marked another step on the path of India's digital payment ecosystem to the international market.
Galeries Lafayette Nice Massena is a prestigious department store in the French chain, which can be found in the centre of Nice near the famous Place Massena, with over 600 international brands in Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle and Luxury.
Piyush Goyal Underlines Growing Partnership between India and France
In announcing the launch, Piyush Goyal has said that it is a testament to economic and technological cooperation between India and France.
“Delighted to launch UPI at the iconic Galeries Lafayette, Nice Massena, France. Bringing India's world-class digital payments platform to one of France's premier retail destinations marks another significant step in UPI's global expansion. With the participation of Lyra Collect and NIPL, this initiative showcases India's ability to deliver trusted, seamless, and interoperable digital solutions at scale,” Piyush Goyal said in a post on social media.
The minister added that the rollout would further strengthen bilateral ties and demonstrate the increasing depth and ambition of the India-France strategic partnership.
UPI Strengthens Presence in France
The latest development builds on India's efforts to make UPI accessible to Indian travellers and international merchants across key global destinations.
In 2024, UPI was introduced at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, enabling Indian visitors to make digital payments using familiar UPI-enabled applications. The launch in Nice further broadens acceptance of the platform in France and enhances convenience for Indian tourists and business travellers visiting the country.
The initiative has been facilitated through collaboration between NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) and payment solutions provider Lyra Collect, helping integrate India's digital payment infrastructure into the French retail ecosystem.
Also Read: UPI Sets New Record with 23 Billion Transactions in May
UPI Now Accepted Across Nine Countries
UPI is continuing to expand its reach overseas as more merchants come to accept it in France.
Payment platform is accepted in the following nine countries: Singapore, United Arab Emirates, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar, Sri Lanka and Cambodia. With the expansion, UPI-enabled mobile apps will enable the seamless and secure transactions for Indian travellers while travelling abroad without the need of over-depending on cash and foreign currency cards.
Global Expansion of India's Digital Payments Ecosystem
UPI has become one of the fastest growing real-time payment systems globally and forms an important part of the digital public infrastructure in India. As the platform expands its footprint in the international arena, India's digital payment capabilities and interoperable financial technologies have gained global acceptance.
The event is likely to further enhance the visibility of India's digital innovation ecosystem and enable cross-border payment convenience to millions of Indian travellers at the launch at Galeries Lafayette Nice Massena.
The rollout of UPI to key international tourist and retail destinations reflects India's efforts to bolster its digital payment systems internationally as the nation strives to make its payment technologies relevant in the global market.
