Can NPCI be used for international transactions?

No, NPCI primarily focuses on domestic payment services within India and does not directly support international transactions. The services offered by NPCI, such as UPI (Unified Payments Interface), IMPS (Immediate Payment Service), and RuPay card, are primarily designed for domestic use and facilitate transactions within the Indian banking system.

For international transactions, other payment systems and networks are typically used, such as SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) for international bank transfers or global card networks like Visa and Mastercard for crossborder card transactions. These international payment systems and networks operate independently from NPCI and have their own set of rules, processes, and infrastructure to facilitate crossborder transactions.

However, NPCI has collaborated with international payment networks to expand the acceptance of RuPay cards outside India. This enables RuPay cardholders to use their cards for payments and withdrawals at certain international locations where these networks are accepted. Additionally, NPCI has also introduced the Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app, which allows users to make digital payments within India, but it does not support international transactions.

If you need to make international transactions, such as transferring money abroad or making payments to international merchants, you will need to use the appropriate international payment methods and networks offered by your bank or financial service provider.