Indian Travellers to Use UPI Payments in Uzbekistan

Indian travellers will soon be able to use India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to make direct payments to merchants in Uzbekistan. This expansion follows a commercial agreement between NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) and Uzbekistan's National Interbank Processing Centre (NIPC), which operates the HUMO payment system.

The agreement, signed on August 30, allows Indian users to scan Uzbekistan's national interoperable QR code, UZQR, using their existing UPI applications. Payments will be debited directly from users' Indian bank accounts, potentially reducing foreign exchange markup costs associated with international card usage.

HUMO's QR network is mandated for retail, hospitality, and service outlets across Uzbekistan, suggesting UPI payments could achieve widespread merchant acceptance. Uzbekistan becomes the eleventh country to integrate with UPI's international network, joining nations like Singapore, the UAE, and France.

Details regarding the official rollout date, transaction limits, fees, and supported Indian banks or apps have not yet been announced by NIPL or the Indian finance ministry. Further technical updates are expected.