Apple Restores Card Payments in India After Four-Year Hiatus

Apple has resumed accepting credit and debit cards for Apple Account purchases in India, ending a four-year suspension. The phased rollout allows eligible Visa and Mastercard cards to be used for subscriptions like iCloud+ and Apple Music, as well as App Store purchases. This restores the direct card payment option that disappeared in May 2020 following India's new regulations on recurring card transactions. At the time, the Reserve Bank of India's requirements for enhanced security protocols, such as tokenization, forced companies to cease direct storage of customer card details. Consequently, Indian users have relied on alternative payment methods including UPI, net banking, or Apple Account balance top-ups. Apple has updated its support documentation to reflect the change and has completed the necessary backend work to comply with India's payment regulations. Industry analysts describe the move as "overdue but welcome," removing a barrier to subscription renewals and enhancing flexibility for a growing user base. While the restoration of recurring card payments is a significant step, Apple has not commented on prior reports regarding a potential launch of Apple Pay in India.