India Weighs Alipay+ Link-Up to Expand UPI’s Global Reach

• India is exploring a link between UPI and Alipay+ to enable seamless cross‑border digital payments.

• The move could help Indian travelers use UPI at millions of overseas merchants.

• Alipay+ offers vast global reach, while UPI handles about 18 billion monthly transactions domestically.

• Talks reflect cautious warming of India–China ties but remain subject to security and geopolitical scrutiny.

Indian authorities are in discussions with Ant International, the overseas affiliate of China-linked Ant Group, over a potential arrangement that would connect Alipay+ with India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for international transactions, according to two government officials familiar with the matter.

If approved, the linkage would allow Indian travelers to use UPI-enabled payment apps at overseas merchants that already accept Alipay+, significantly simplifying digital payments abroad. Such a move would mark another step in India’s broader push to make its homegrown instant payments system usable beyond its borders.

The talks involve officials from the Indian government and the central bank, as well as Singapore-based Ant International, which was established by Ant Group but now operates as an independent entity. The discussions also signal a gradual thaw in engagement between New Delhi and Beijing following years of strained relations.

Alipay+ currently connects roughly 1.8 billion user accounts to more than 150 million merchants across over 100 markets worldwide, according to information published by the company. Its network has a strong footprint across Asia, along with growing operations in Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Within India, UPI has become deeply embedded in everyday commerce, handling nearly 18 billion transactions each month. Policymakers and regulators have been eager to extend its functionality internationally, aiming to make it easier for Indian tourists and the global Indian community to make payments in rupees while lowering the costs and friction typically associated with cross-border transactions.

The government officials, who requested anonymity because the talks are not yet public, said no final decision has been taken. India’s finance ministry, the Reserve Bank of India, and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) did not respond to requests for comment, while Ant International also declined to comment.

According to the sources, any approval would be contingent on a thorough review of security and strategic considerations. One official noted that Alipay’s historical links to China raise concerns related to geopolitics, digital infrastructure security, and data protection.

India tightened investment rules for Chinese firms following a military standoff along the border in 2020, and those restrictions are still in place. However, recent developments suggest a cautious improvement in bilateral ties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently traveled to China for the first time in seven years, where he held talks with President Xi Jinping focused on stabilizing and improving relations.

In another sign of easing tensions, India resumed direct commercial flights to China in October after a five-year suspension and relaxed visa norms for Chinese professionals. Against this backdrop, the proposed UPI–Alipay+ linkage is being viewed as both a practical payments initiative and a reflection of tentative diplomatic recalibration.