Apple Pay launched in India on September 30, 2026 with eligible Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards, according to reports from The Hindu, Economic Times and Quartz published that day. This brief relies on those secondary reports for the launch date and initial bank support.
The reports say the initial rollout covers iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, with Mac support still coming soon. They describe adding an eligible credit card through the Axis Bank app or the Wallet app on iPhone. That does not establish support for every Axis Bank card, other banks or every Apple device.
Apple's India Apple Pay product page is live and independently readable. It describes adding a card in Wallet and paying at contactless terminals or through Apple Pay online. It also explains Face ID, Touch ID or passcode authentication and the use of a device-specific number rather than sharing the actual card number with merchants.
The product page corroborates the service's India-facing presentation and payment mechanics, but it is not a dated launch announcement. No dated Apple newsroom release was found during this review. The September 30 launch date, initial Axis Bank card support and Mac rollout status therefore remain attributed to the secondary reporting above.
The reported launch is a card-wallet rollout. It should not be read as proof of broad bank coverage, support for all card networks, or new UPI support. This brief makes no claims about transaction pricing, total merchant reach or future bank rollout dates.
Sources:
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/apple-pay-goes-live-in-india-with-axis-bank-issued-visa-and-mastercard-cards/article71526771.ece
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/banking/finance/apple-pay-comes-to-india-with-axis-bank-visa-mastercard-credit-cards/articleshow/134578396.cms
https://qz.com/apple-pay-launches-india-axis-bank-093026
https://www.apple.com/in/apple-pay/