**India Expands UPI Payment Facility to Lulu Group Stores in Qatar**
*Doha:* India has broadened the reach of its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) by launching the facility at Lulu Group’s stores in Qatar. This move comes shortly after the successful rollout of UPI at duty-free outlets in Hamad International Airport last month.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal inaugurated the UPI facility at a Lulu store, highlighting its potential to facilitate smoother and more cost-effective capital movement between the two countries.
Last month, NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), in partnership with Qatar National Bank (QNB), introduced UPI at point-of-sale terminals across Qatar for merchants acquired by QNB. This rollout is part of a collaboration involving NIPL, QNB, and the Japanese payments gateway NETSTARS.
Minister Goyal encouraged other banks and institutions in Qatar to adopt UPI, emphasizing its significance:
> “The launch of UPI and UPI transactions is not just a digital payment solution but has the potential to revolutionize trade between Qatar and India. It is an opportunity to expand our trust between the two nations because as we seamlessly integrate the payment systems of Qatar and India, our people will be able to trade more, trade smarter at lower cost.”
He added that the movement of money and capital will become faster—almost in real-time—and incur a “very-very low” cost.
> “Expanded trade will further be strengthened with the adoption of UPI. I thank QNB for integrating UPI as part of their payment systems,” he said, calling the official launch a milestone in the journey ahead.
The Minister also highlighted the benefits for the 830,000 Indians residing in Qatar, noting that their remittances would become faster and more affordable through UPI. Qatar now stands as the eighth country to accept UPI, which facilitates real-time, cashless payments for Indians, reducing dependency on foreign currency or international cards.
By enabling seamless transactions, UPI supports not only Indian travelers but also local Qatari businesses. It promotes digital payment adoption, strengthens India’s international financial footprint, and enhances convenience and security for tourists, especially in high-traffic commercial zones.
UPI, launched nine years ago, has been a remarkable success story in India. Minister Goyal shared some impressive statistics:
– 85% of Indian digital payments are processed through UPI.
– Nearly 50% of global digital payments are now made via UPI.
– On average, 640 million transactions occur daily through this system.
He praised QNB’s role as a bridge connecting NPCI, the developer of the UPI platform, and Lulu Group, which is offering the digital payment facility to all its customers in Qatar.
This expansion marks a significant step toward fostering closer economic ties between India and Qatar through innovative digital payment solutions.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/business/india-launches-upi-in-qatar-facilitating-cost-effective-seamless-trade-supporting-indian-travelers-qatari-businesses