Apple Pay has finally landed in India, which means iPhone users can now leave their physical credit card in their wallet and use their phone to make contactless payments at supported stores.
Apple launched the service in India on Wednesday, with Axis Bank as its first banking partner. The rollout comes almost 12 years after Apple Pay first arrived in the US in September 2014. With India joining the list, Apple Pay is now available in more than 90 countries and regions.
ALSO READ: Flipkart Big Billion Days Sale 2026 Dates Confirmed: iPhone 17, Galaxy S25 And More Deals Teased
There is a catch, though. You cannot add just any Indian bank card to Apple Pay right now. The service currently supports eligible Visa and Mastercard credit cards issued by Axis Bank. Apple is expected to add more banks and card issuers later.
If you have one of the supported cards and a compatible iPhone, getting started is fairly simple.
What Can You Do With Apple Pay?
Think of Apple Pay as a digital version of your credit card. Instead of taking the card out every time you need to pay, you can authenticate the transaction on your Apple device and tap it against a compatible payment terminal.
The service uses NFC, the same technology behind other contactless payment systems. So, for in-store payments, the PoS machine you're using needs to support NFC.
Apple Pay isn't restricted to shops either. You can use it for supported purchases inside apps and on participating e-commerce websites.
In India, Apple Pay works with the iPhone XR and newer models running iOS 18 or later. It also supports Apple Watch Series 6 and newer models running watchOS 11 or later. Apple says Mac support is coming soon.
For security, payments are authorised using Face ID, Touch ID or your device passcode, depending on which Apple device you're using.
How to Add Your Axis Bank Card to Apple Pay
Before you start, make sure your iPhone is compatible and that you're using an eligible Axis Bank Visa or Mastercard credit card.
Once that's sorted, here's what you need to do:
1. Open Apple Wallet on your iPhone after unlocking the device.
2. Look for the + button at the top of the screen and tap it.
3. Select Debit or Credit Card when the next screen appears.
4. You can now add your Axis Bank card. One option is to hold your iPhone over the back of the card so that the phone can capture the card information.
5. Don't want to scan it? Tap Enter Card Details Manually instead.
6. Enter the requested information, including your name, card number, expiry date and security code.
7. Tap Continue and complete the remaining instructions shown on the screen.
ALSO READ: Google Chrome Gets New Student Features: Turn Lectures Into Insights, Notes Into Quizzes
8. Once the card has been verified and added to Wallet, you're ready to use Apple Pay.
At a store, simply authenticate the payment on your iPhone and hold it near an NFC-enabled PoS terminal. The payment should go through without you having to hand over your physical card.
For now, however, Apple Pay in India remains an early-stage rollout. Axis Bank's eligible Visa and Mastercard credit cards are the only supported cards at launch, so users with cards from other banks will have to wait until Apple expands the service.