"digital-payments"

Parliament passed the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman clarifying that UPI will remain free for consumers. The legislation also seeks to attract foreign capital, boost electronics manufacturing and ease operations for global cloud companies

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rejected Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's criticism of the UPI amendment Bill, saying Merchant Discount Rate applies only to merchants. She accused the Congress of avoiding parliamentary debate, while Ramesh maintained the changes could eventually lead to charges on digital payments.

Traders in Jantar Mantar and Connaught Place reported severe business losses as ongoing CJP protests disrupted footfall. Road diversions, metro station closures, and internet disruptions affecting digital payments reduced sales to just 25 percent of normal levels

New Zealand has expressed openness to adopting India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI), with Trade Minister Todd McClay saying the country's regulatory environment can accommodate the digital payment platform. The remarks come as UPI continues expanding globally through international payment partnerships.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced that UPI services have gone live in Greece, enabling instant, low-cost money transfers. During his Athens visit, he met Eurobank CEO Fokion Karavias and urged Greek businesses to invest in India.

At the VivaTech 2026 forum in Paris, Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocated democratising technology, saying AI means “All Inclusive” for India. He highlighted India's digital achievements, startup ecosystem and investment opportunities while calling for technology access that benefits everyone

South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago has cited India’s UPI as a model for reducing cash dependence. As South Africa develops a free real-time payment system, UPI’s success in driving digital transactions is being viewed as a benchmark

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said PM SVANidhi has empowered millions of street vendors through collateral-free loans, financial inclusion and digital adoption. Marking six years of the scheme, he highlighted its role in boosting livelihoods, dignity and economic growth across urban India

India’s UPI digital payment system will become operational in Cyprus from next year following agreements signed during Narendra Modi’s 2025 visit. The move expands UPI’s European footprint and strengthens India-Cyprus cooperation in fintech, trade and cross-border financial connectivity

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation, reiterated his government’s commitment to women’s empowerment despite the setback in Parliament over the Women’s Reservation Bill. He framed the issue as part of a larger pattern of resistance to reforms by the Opposition.

India’s digital payments platform Unified Payments Interface recorded 27% annual growth in February transaction volumes, reaching 20.39 billion, as per National Payments Corporation of India data, strengthening its global expansion and dominance over cash transactions domestically

GST notices generated by UPI data sparked protests across Karnataka, exposing how data-led enforcement —without context or support — can undermine trust in Digital India

At the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, French President Emmanuel Macron praised India’s digital transformation, citing a Mumbai vendor’s journey to digital payments. He highlighted strategic AI cooperation with Narendra Modi, emphasising innovation, sovereignty, and responsible technology

The BHIM Payments App saw a sharp rise in usage in 2025, with monthly transactions growing from 38.97 million in January to 165.1 million in December, a more than fourfold increase. Transaction volumes rose over 300 per cent, while values crossed Rs 20,854 crore in December.

India aims to expand its homegrown UPI digital payment system to more countries, especially in East Asia, Financial Services Secretary M Nagaraju said. UPI already operates in eight nations, facilitating digital transactions and supporting Indian tourists abroad

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s values and governance vision continue to inspire India’s self-reliance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing infrastructure growth, welfare schemes, and digital transformation

India is negotiating with about 7–8 countries, including in East Asia, to expand acceptance of its Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Financial Services Secretary M. Nagaraju said. UPI is already usable in eight countries, and India is integrating it into trade negotiations to boost fintech participation and leverage cost and scale advantages

Driven by festive spending, UPI transactions hit an all-time high of Rs 27.28 lakh crore in October, up 16 per cent year-on-year, according to NPCI. With 20.7 billion transactions, UPI continues to dominate India’s digital payments landscape and expand globally

Cobrapost has alleged that Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group diverted over Rs 41,900 crore through shell entities and offshore firms. The conglomerate dismissed the charges as an agenda-driven campaign aimed at manipulating stock prices and acquiring its assets cheaply

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) recorded its highest-ever single-day value of Rs 1.02 lakh crore on October 18, buoyed by strong festive demand and GST rate cuts that boosted consumer spending. Retail sales also surged to an unprecedented Rs 6.05 lakh crore