Travelling Abroad? Here Are All the Countries Where Indians Can Now Pay via UPI — No Cash Needed!

Gone are the days of hunting for currency exchange counters before every international trip. India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has quietly become one of the most powerful travel tools for Indian tourists — letting you tap and pay in foreign countries just like you would at your local kirana store.

Here’s every country where UPI currently works, and exactly how it works in each one.

UPI-Accepted Countries at a Glance

🇳🇵 Nepal — UPI’s First International Home

Nepal was among the very first countries to adopt UPI, making it a seamless experience for Indian tourists and pilgrims. You can pay at virtually any merchant accepting digital payments — from local dhabas in Kathmandu to trekking agencies near Pokhara. Given the strong cultural and economic ties between the two nations, this integration has been transformative for cross-border travel.

🇧🇹 Bhutan — Pay Like a Local in the Land of Happiness

India and Bhutan share one of the closest bilateral relationships in the world, and UPI reflects that perfectly. Indian travellers can use UPI at hotels, shops, and tourist attractions without needing to convert a single rupee. Given that most Indian tourists to Bhutan travel independently, this is a genuine game-changer.

🇸🇬 Singapore — The PayNow-UPI Bridge

Singapore’s PayNow system is now linked directly with UPI, meaning Indian visitors can pay Singaporean merchants who accept PayNow — and vice versa. This makes Singapore arguably the most seamless UPI experience outside India, covering everything from hawker centres to luxury retail on Orchard Road.

🇦🇪 UAE — Massive for the Indian Diaspora

With over 3.5 million Indians living in the UAE, UPI acceptance here is no surprise. Indian tourists and residents alike can pay at thousands of merchants across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. The NPCI International and Mashreq Bank partnership has made this rollout particularly robust for everyday transactions.

🇫🇷 France — Oui, You Can Pay via UPI!

This one genuinely surprised people. India became the first country to enable UPI payments at iconic French tourist destinations, including Eiffel Tower ticketing. If you’re among the millions of Indian tourists visiting Paris, you can skip the currency headache entirely at several partner merchants. A proud moment for Indian fintech on the global stage.

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka — Neighbour Made Even Easier

Sri Lanka, already a favourite weekend getaway for South Indians, now accepts UPI at hotels, retail outlets, and transport services. Given Sri Lanka’s heavy dependence on Indian tourism for economic recovery, this integration came at the perfect time and adoption has been rapid.

🇲🇺 Mauritius — Island Getaway, Rupee-Friendly

Mauritius integrated UPI through its Mauritius Network Services partnership with NPCI International. Indian honeymooners and leisure travellers — who make up a significant chunk of Mauritius’s tourist base — can now pay at local merchants without worrying about currency conversion rates eating into their budget.

🇶🇦 Qatar — Convenience for the Gulf’s Indian Community

With a large Indian workforce and growing tourist interest, Qatar’s UPI adoption caters primarily to Indian residents making day-to-day purchases, though tourist merchants in Doha are increasingly onboarded. Especially relevant post-FIFA World Cup 2022, as Qatar rapidly modernised its payments infrastructure.

🇰🇭 Cambodia — Southeast Asia’s Newest UPI Spot

Cambodia is the newest addition to the UPI map in Southeast Asia. While acceptance is still growing and concentrated around tourist zones and larger merchants in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, it signals India’s expanding fintech footprint across the ASEAN region.

Planning your next international trip? Check out our latest travel and tech guides on Technosports and don’t miss our coverage of the best tech tools for Indian travellers abroad before you pack your bags.

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