Can I use my HDFC, ICICI, SBI or RuPay card with Apple Pay in India?

Short answer: not yet. At launch, Apple Pay in India works only with Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards.

What works and what doesn't (as of 2 October 2026)

• ✅ Axis Bank credit cards on Visa or Mastercard
• ❌ Cards from other banks: HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI Card and the rest are not on the launch list
• ❌ RuPay cards, including Axis Bank RuPay cards
• ❌ Debit cards: the launch covers credit cards only
• ❌ UPI: Apple Pay in India is card-based tap-to-pay, not UPI, and there's no timeline for UPI support

When will HDFC, ICICI or SBI Card be added?

No date has been announced by Apple or the banks. TechCrunch reports that HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and SBI Card are still negotiating commercial terms with Apple. Until a bank announces support, treat any date you see as a rumour.

Which devices work

• iPhone XR or later on iOS 18 or later
• Apple Watch Series 6 or later on watchOS 11 or later, paired with an iPhone XR or later
• iPad for payments in apps and on websites
• Mac: "coming soon", per Apple

How to add an Axis Bank card

1. Update the Axis Bank app and use its option to add your card to Apple Wallet, or

2. Open the Wallet app on your iPhone, tap +, and follow the steps to add your eligible card. Complete any verification the bank asks for.

How to pay

• In shops: double-click the side button (or Home button), confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode, and hold the top of your iPhone (or your Watch display) near the card machine. Apple says there's no PIN or OTP at checkout.
• In apps and on websites: pick Apple Pay at checkout on iPhone or iPad.
• Where: Apple lists Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Chaayos, Comet, Croma, Interflora, Ixigo, Le15 Patisserie, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg and Zomato among the first merchants.
• Expect some misses early on. A tap can work at one card machine and fail at another, depending on whether that machine's payment provider has switched Apple Pay on. Keep another way to pay handy.
• Your card's usual rewards still apply, according to Apple.

Is it safe?

Apple says your actual card number isn't stored on your phone or Apple's servers and isn't shared with the shop; a separate device account number is used instead. If your iPhone is lost, you can suspend payments from it with Find My.

If your card won't add: check that it's an Axis Bank Visa or Mastercard credit card (not RuPay, not debit), that your iPhone is on iOS 18 or later, and that the Axis Bank app is up to date. If it still fails, contact Axis Bank. For any other bank, the only reliable sign is an official announcement from Apple or that bank.