Apple Pay Launches in India: Axis Bank Credit Card Users Can Now Pay With iPhone, Apple Watch
Apple has officially launched Apple Pay in India, allowing eligible users to make secure contactless payments using iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Support for Mac is expected to arrive soon.
Apple Pay Now Available in India
Apple Pay is now available for customers in India, offering a new way to pay at stores, inside apps and on websites without repeatedly entering card details, PINs or OTPs.
At launch, Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards can be added to Apple Pay. Once added, customers can use their cards at thousands of participating merchants across India and anywhere compatible with NFC contactless payments.
Apple says the service is designed around security and privacy, with card information protected through device-based tokenisation rather than being shared directly with merchants.
“Apple Pay makes everyday payments with a card easy, secure, and private,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.
How Apple Pay Works in India
Apple Pay uses a Device Account Number instead of storing the customer’s actual card number on the device or Apple’s servers.
The Device Account Number is encrypted and stored in the Secure Element, a dedicated chip designed to protect payment information.
During a transaction, the merchant does not receive the user’s actual card number. Mastercard and Visa also provide tokenisation technology to help protect card information during transactions.
Apple says it does not retain transaction information that can be tied back to individual users.
How to Add an Axis Bank Card to Apple Pay
Eligible Axis Bank credit card customers can add their card directly through the latest version of the Axis Bank app.
Users can also add a card through Apple Wallet:
- Open the Wallet app on the iPhone.
- Tap the + button.
- Follow the instructions to add an eligible Axis Bank credit card.
- Complete the required verification.
- The card can then be used with Apple Pay.
How to Pay Using Apple Pay
For in-store payments, users can:
- Double-click the iPhone’s side button or Home button.
- Authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID or the device passcode, when required.
- Hold the top of the iPhone near a contactless payment terminal.
- Wait for the payment confirmation.
Apple Watch users can similarly bring the watch close to a compatible contactless reader after authentication.
No separate payment app is required at the time of payment.
Apple Pay for Online Shopping and Apps
Apple Pay can also be used for purchases through supported apps and websites on iPhone and iPad.
Instead of repeatedly entering:
- Card numbers
- Billing information
- Shipping details
- Other payment information
users can select Apple Pay at supported checkout points and authenticate the transaction.
Mac support is coming soon, according to Apple.
Where Can Apple Pay Be Used?
Apple says Apple Pay will initially be accepted by millions of merchants across India.
Participating businesses mentioned by Apple include:
- Apple Store
- Blinkit
- Chaayos
- Comet
- Croma
- Interflora
- Ixigo
- Le15 Patisserie
- Reliance brands
- Tata 1mg
- Zomato
Apple has also worked with payment service providers including Cashfree, Juspay, Mswipe, Paytm, PayU, Pine Labs, Razorpay and Worldline to enable Apple Pay across their merchant networks.
More merchants and apps are expected to support the service over time.
What Happens If Your iPhone Is Lost?
Apple Pay is designed so that payment credentials are protected on the device.
If an iPhone is lost or stolen, users can use Find My to locate the device and lock or suspend payments associated with it.
Because the actual card number is not stored on the device or Apple’s servers, Apple says the payment setup does not expose the physical card number directly to merchants.
Existing Card Rewards Continue
Customers using an eligible card through Apple Pay will continue to receive the rewards and benefits associated with their card, according to Apple.
This means adding an eligible Axis Bank credit card to Apple Pay does not remove the card’s existing reward structure.
Apple Pay’s India Launch
Apple Pay is now available in more than 90 countries and regions and works with more than 11,000 bank and network partners worldwide, according to Apple.
The India launch initially focuses on Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards, with Apple describing the service as a privacy-focused contactless payment option for Indian consumers.
