Indian travellers can now enjoy seamless digital transactions in Uzbekistan as NPCI International partners with NIPC to enable UPI payments across the nation's UZQR code infrastructure.
Key Points
- UPI payments are now enabled across Uzbekistan through a partnership between NPCI International and Uzbekistan's NIPC.
- Indian travellers can make instant merchant payments by scanning Uzbekistan's national UZQR code using their UPI-enabled apps.
- The integration with HUMO, Uzbekistan's national payment system, ensures near-universal acceptance for UPI users.
- This allows direct person-to-merchant payments from Indian bank accounts, reducing foreign exchange friction.
- The initiative expands UPI's international footprint, adding Uzbekistan to a list of 10 other countries.
NPCI International and Uzbekistan's NIPC have entered into a partnership to enable UPI payments across Uzbekistan, a finance ministry statement said. The partnership will enable Indian tourists, business travellers and students to make instant merchant payments by scanning Uzbekistan's national interoperable QR code, UZQR.
NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India, entered into a commercial agreement with National Interbank Processing Centre JSC (NIPC), operator of Uzbekistan's national payment system, HUMO, on August 30, 2026, the ministry said. "The partnership enables Indian travellers to scan Uzbekistan's national interoperable QR code UZQR using their familiar UPI-enabled applications to make instant merchant payments across the country," it said.
Seamless Digital Transactions For Indian Travellers
The announcement was made during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Uzbekistan. The execution of the agreement follows formal approvals from financial regulators, including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Central Bank of Uzbekistan (CBU), which designated HUMO as NIPL's authorised partner for cross-border merchant acceptance.
By integrating with CBU's mandated Unified National QR infrastructure (UZQR), UPI users gain near-universal acceptance across retail, hospitality, and service merchants in Uzbekistan. Indian tourists, business travellers, and students can make direct person-to-merchant (P2M) payments from their Indian bank accounts, eliminating foreign exchange markup friction and reducing reliance on international cards or cash.
Expanding UPI's Global Footprint
"The initiative advances digital public infrastructure cooperation and aligns with both nations' broader strategic and economic goals," the ministry added.
UPI is currently accepted in 10 countries -- Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Greece. "Partnership between NIPL and Uzbekistan's National payment system marks a significant step in expanding UPI's international footprint," the ministry added.
