NPCI International has partnered with Uzbekistan’s national payment-system operator to enable UPI-based merchant payments through the country’s interoperable UZQR network. The move will make digital payments easier for Indian tourists, business travellers and students visiting Uzbekistan.

Under the new arrangement, eligible Indian users will be able to scan participating UZQR codes and make merchant payments using UPI-enabled applications. The partnership marks another step in the international expansion of India’s Unified Payments Interface.

UPI Expands Into Uzbekistan

NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India, has entered into a partnership with Uzbekistan’s national payment-system ecosystem to facilitate UPI payments through UZQR.

The development expands the reach of India’s real-time payments infrastructure beyond the domestic market and strengthens payment connectivity between India and Central Asia.

NPCI has been pursuing partnerships with payment networks and financial institutions across multiple countries to allow Indian users to make QR-based merchant payments while travelling abroad.

UZQR Enables QR Payments

Uzbekistan has been expanding its QR-based digital payment infrastructure, including interoperable services operated through its national payment ecosystem.

UZCARD's QR platform allows users to scan merchant QR codes using supported mobile applications and select an available payment instrument. The system has been expanded to support different cards and digital payment methods.

The integration with UPI is expected to make the existing QR infrastructure more accessible to Indian visitors.

Indian Tourists Get Convenience

For Indian travellers, the biggest advantage will be the ability to make merchant payments by scanning a QR code instead of relying heavily on cash or arranging a separate local payment method.

Tourists visiting Uzbekistan for sightseeing, shopping, food and other everyday expenses will be able to use participating UZQR-enabled merchants where UPI acceptance is available.

Business travellers and Indian students living or studying in Uzbekistan are also expected to benefit from the expanded digital-payment option.

No Need For Cash Payments

QR-based payments can reduce the need for travellers to carry large amounts of local currency for routine purchases.

The transaction is initiated through the user's supported UPI application by scanning the participating merchant's QR code. The payment experience is designed to be quick and familiar to Indian users who already rely on UPI for everyday transactions in India.

However, travellers should check whether a particular merchant supports the international UPI service before relying exclusively on it.

UPI's Global Footprint

The Uzbekistan partnership is part of a broader internationalisation strategy for UPI.

NPCI International has established partnerships in several markets, including the UAE, Singapore, Nepal, Bhutan, Mauritius, France and Sri Lanka. These arrangements have enabled different forms of UPI-based payments and cross-border payment connectivity.

The international expansion allows India's widely used real-time payment technology to connect with foreign payment ecosystems while providing Indian travellers with more familiar digital-payment options.

Uzbekistan Goes Digital

Uzbekistan has also been steadily developing its cashless-payment infrastructure.

UZCARD has expanded QR payments through its Tez QR service, allowing users to scan a QR code displayed on a payment terminal and select different funding sources, including UZCARD and HUMO cards as well as other supported payment instruments.

The country's payment ecosystem has also been working with international networks to expand cross-border payment capabilities and acceptance infrastructure.

Boost For India-Uzbekistan Ties

The UPI-UZQR integration could provide an additional layer to growing economic and people-to-people ties between India and Uzbekistan.

For Indian visitors, easier digital payments can make travel more convenient. For Uzbek merchants, accepting payments from Indian customers can potentially broaden access to a large overseas consumer base.

The development also demonstrates how interoperable QR systems can connect national payment networks and support cross-border digital commerce.

For Indian tourists heading to Uzbekistan, the message is simple: where UZQR and international UPI acceptance are enabled, scanning the merchant QR code can provide a familiar way to pay directly through a supported UPI app.