New Delhi, March 17 (IANS). NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), the international arm of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), on Tuesday said it is expanding the acceptance of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Sri Lanka.
NPCI further said that this will improve the payment experience in Sri Lanka for Indian travelers and boost the local economy.
With over 700 million QR touchpoints in India, the platform’s interoperable architecture enables integration with global systems, including Sri Lanka’s LankaPay-powered LankaQR infrastructure.
India remains Sri Lanka’s largest source market for the tourism sector. More than 4.16 lakh Indian tourists visited Sri Lanka in 2024, this figure will increase to 5.31 lakh in 2025. This steady growth has increased the demand for convenient and reliable payment solutions for Indian travelers visiting the island for sightseeing, shopping, weddings and spiritual tourism.
“Through the collaboration between NIPL and LankaPay, Indian tourists can now make digital payments across Sri Lanka by scanning the LankaQR code using a UPI-enabled app, thereby reducing dependence on cash,” NPCI said.
The service is available in major establishments, including hotel chains, retail shops and supermarkets.
For wider acceptance of this service, NIPL is working closely with key stakeholders such as the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, acquiring banks and merchants, in line with Sri Lanka’s domestic payments framework.
According to NPCI, this initiative is expected to benefit both passengers and traders. Tourists will enjoy real-time payments, transparent exchange rates and a familiar payment interface, while Sri Lankan businesses will be able to take advantage of a larger digital customer base, improve cash management and reduce reliance on physical currency.
Ritesh Shukla, MD and CEO of NPCI International, said the company is focusing on building interoperable payment corridors to simplify cross-border transactions and strengthen economic ties.
“With the increasing usage of UPI, we aim to increase payment acceptance across key sectors like hospitality, retail and tourism, thereby creating value for businesses and improving the overall travel experience,” he said.
–IANS
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