India successfully launched the Integrated Payment Interface (UPI) at the Eiffel Tower and has now extended it to Galeries Lafayette, a historic department store in Paris.
This step aims to achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of globalizing UPI, an Indian instant payment system developed by the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) in 2016.
On Thursday, the Indian Embassy in France announced that UPI will be launched at the flagship store of Galeries Lafayette in Haussmann, Paris on July 3, 2024.
This extends the use of UPI in Paris following its successful launch at the iconic Eiffel Tower.
According to the statement, Indian Ambassador to France Javed Ashraf inaugurated the use of UPI at the store in the presence of Galeries Lafayette Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nicolas Hauge and Lyra Group Chairman Alain Lacour.
Ashraf posted on social media platform ‘X’ expressing his happiness about launching UPI at the renowned Lafayette in Paris.
Following the January 2024 launch at the Eiffel Tower, UPI will further expand across France, continuing Prime Minister Modi’s journey that began with UPI in Singapore in 2018.
In February, India officially launched UPI at the Eiffel Tower, describing it as part of Prime Minister Modi’s vision to globalize UPI.
Expansion of UPI acceptance
Network International, a top advocate for digital commerce in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, operates over 200,000 point-of-sale (POS) terminals with a network spanning more than 60,000 merchants.
These merchants operate in diverse sectors such as retail, hospitality, transportation, and supermarkets.
The initiative aims to slowly introduce UPI acceptance across various establishments including retail stores, dining outlets, and popular tourist attractions like the Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates.
