India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has made its mark in Paris, with the prestigious Galeries Lafayette on Haussmann Boulevard now accepting UPI payments. This significant development aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of internationalizing UPI, an instant payment system created by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in 2016.
According to a press release from the Indian Embassy in France, “On July 3, 2024, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) went live at the flagship store of the world-renowned Galeries Lafayette in Haussmann, Paris. This expands the acceptance of UPI in Paris following a successful launch at the iconic Eiffel Tower.”
The launch was officiated by the Ambassador of India to France and Monaco, Jawed Ashraf, who demonstrated the live use of UPI at the store. The event was attended by Nicolas Houze, CEO of Galeries Lafayette, and Alain Lacour, Chairman of Lyra Group.
Ambassador Ashraf highlighted the success of the UPI launch at the Eiffel Tower in January 2024 and a subsequent meeting with potential merchants and NPCI International in February 2024. He expressed satisfaction with the swift agreement between Lyra and NPCI, enabling the UPI launch at Galeries Lafayette ahead of the Paris Olympics starting July 26, 2024, which is expected to attract many Indian visitors.
The Ambassador also reflected on the first international launch of UPI in Singapore in 2018 by Prime Minister Modi, celebrating UPI’s growing global presence. He expressed hope that UPI would continue to provide quick, safe, and efficient cross-border digital payments and remittances, eventually becoming the preferred digital payment system worldwide.
As Paris prepares for the 2024 Olympics, this initiative aims to facilitate seamless transactions for the increasing number of Indian visitors, emphasizing UPI’s role as an evolving global digital payment solution.
WITH INPUTS FROM ANI
