Global UPI Reach: Uzbekistan Joins Digital Payment Network

NPCI International Payments Ltd. (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has signed a commercial agreement with Uzbekistan’s National Interbank Processing Centre JSC (NIPC), operator of the national payment system HUMO, to facilitate UPI-based merchant payments across Uzbekistan. Following regulatory approvals from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Central Bank of Uzbekistan (CBU), the initiative enables Indian tourists, business travelers, and students to execute instant person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions directly from their Indian bank accounts by scanning Uzbekistan’s interoperable UZQR codes using standard UPI applications. This integration into the Unified National QR infrastructure grants broad merchant acceptance across retail, hospitality, and service sectors, significantly improving transaction convenience for Indian visitors. The strategic partnership further expands the international footprint of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) while reducing reliance on cash and international credit cards for cross-border travel. By integrating Uzbekistan into an existing network of international UPI destinations—which includes Singapore, the UAE, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Greece—the arrangement demonstrates the cross-border efficacy of interoperable digital payment networks. Beyond streamlining retail commerce, the initiative strengthens financial connectivity and deepens economic and people-to-people ties between India and Central Asia.