Current Affairs - International - Discussion

India launched UPI (Unified Payments Interface) at Lulu Group supermarkets in Qatar on 6 October 2025, led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. This initiative allows over 830,000 Indian residents and tourists in Qatar to make low-cost, real-time digital payments using India’s homegrown UPI system. The project, in partnership with NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), Qatar National Bank (QNB), and NETSTARS, marks Qatar as the eighth country to adopt UPI. The move strengthens cross-border trade, facilitates faster remittances, and promotes India’s fintech innovation globally while providing wider payment options for local merchants.