Apple Pay Officially Launches in India: Axis Bank Credit Cards, NFC Payments, and Setup Guide

Apple officially rolled out its flagship digital payment service, Apple Pay, in India on September 30, 2026, marking a significant milestone for the country’s contactless commerce sector. Debuting with an exclusive banking partnership with Axis Bank, the service allows users to seamlessly add their Visa and Mastercard credit cards directly to the Apple Wallet app. The launch enables millions of Indian Apple users to utilize secure, tokenized NFC tap-to-pay features at retail point-of-sale terminals, as well as frictionless checkouts on supported websites and applications.

How Apple Pay Works in India: Axis Bank Integration

After a 12-year wait since its initial global debut, Apple Pay’s entry into the Indian market currently operates as a single-bank launch. Rather than integrating directly with the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) network for bank-to-bank transfers, the service functions as a highly secure digital vault for premium credit cards.

At launch, the ecosystem exclusively supports Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards. When a user provisions their card, the actual credit card number is never stored on the device or shared with Apple’s servers. Instead, Apple and its payment network partners utilize advanced tokenization technology to assign a unique, cryptographically secured Device Account Number. This token is safely locked within the iPhone’s Secure Element chip, ensuring that merchants never see the user’s actual financial data during a transaction.

Adding Your Card to the Apple Wallet App

Setting up the service is designed to be instantaneous for eligible cardholders. Users have two primary methods to activate the feature:

• Through the Apple Wallet: Open the native Wallet app on an eligible iPhone, tap the plus symbol in the top right corner, and follow the on-screen prompts to scan or manually enter the Axis Bank credit card details.

• Through the Axis Bank App: Customers can also navigate to the latest version of their Axis Bank mobile application and select the option to push their card directly to the Apple Wallet.

Apple Pay Eligible Devices for the Indian Market

While Apple Pay boasts broad backward compatibility globally, the company has implemented stringent hardware and software cutoffs for the 2026 Indian rollout. Owning an iPhone is not enough; the device must meet specific generation and operating system requirements.

Supported iPhone and Apple Watch Models

To ensure the highest security standards for offline NFC processing, Apple requires the following specifications:

For Apple Watch users, the smartwatch functions completely independently at checkout terminals once the card is provisioned. Users simply double-click the side button on their watch and hold the display near the contactless reader to authorize the payment, even if their iPhone is left at home.

Where to Use Apple Pay: NFC Terminals, Apps, and Websites

The launch instantly plugs Apple Pay into India’s expansive existing network of contactless payment infrastructure. Apple confirmed that the service will be accepted by millions of merchants nationwide, integrating with major payment service providers like Razorpay, Pine Labs, Paytm, and PayU.

For in-store purchases, consumers simply double-click the side button or Home button on their iPhone, authenticate via Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode, and tap the device against any NFC-enabled point-of-sale (POS) terminal. Major offline retailers and quick-commerce platforms accepting the service from day one include Croma, Reliance brands, Blinkit, Zomato, and Tata 1mg. Furthermore, the service eliminates the need to repeatedly type out shipping, billing, or card details when checking out on Apple Pay-supported websites through the Safari browser or native iOS applications.

PFD Context

The introduction of Apple Pay in India with Axis Bank represents a major leap forward for the premium digital payments sector, blending Apple’s frictionless hardware experience with the robust security of Visa and Mastercard tokenization. While its initial reach is constrained by a single-bank partnership and strict device requirements starting with the iPhone XR, the arrival of native NFC tap-to-pay fundamentally elevates the checkout experience for the country’s growing base of Apple ecosystem users.

Tags: Apple Pay India launch, Axis Bank Apple Pay, Apple Wallet India setup, NFC contactless payments India, Apple Watch Apple Pay supported devices, iOS 18 Apple Wallet