Where can you use Apple Pay in India? Here are the stores and services supporting it at launch

Apple Pay has officially launched in India, and Apple has now revealed some of the stores, apps, and services where customers can start using it from day one.

The service launched on September 30 with support for eligible Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards, allowing customers to make contactless payments using iPhone and Apple Watch, as well as purchases in apps and on the web.

Apple says Apple Pay will be accepted by millions of merchants across India, including both physical stores and online services.

Among the businesses specifically named by Apple at launch are Apple Store locations, Blinkit, Chaayos, Comet, Croma, Interflora, Ixigo, Le15 Patisserie, Reliance brands, Tata 1mg, and Zomato.

That list isn’t exhaustive.

For in-store purchases, eligible customers can also use Apple Pay anywhere compatible NFC contactless transactions are accepted, meaning support isn’t limited to the brands Apple highlighted in its launch announcement.

Apple has also worked with a number of major payment service providers to expand acceptance across Indian merchant networks.

Those partners include BillDesk, Cashfree, Juspay, Mswipe, Paytm, PayU, Pine Labs, and Razorpay.

Apple says additional merchants and apps will add support over time.

At launch, the banking side of Apple Pay in India is considerably more limited than merchant acceptance.

Only eligible Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards are currently supported. Cards issued by other Indian banks aren’t yet supported, while RuPay cards and UPI aren’t part of the initial rollout.

Apple Pay officially launched in India on September 30, more than a decade after the service first became available in the United States.

Customers using a supported Axis Bank card will continue to receive the existing rewards and benefits associated with that card when they pay using Apple Pay.

In a physical store, paying with Apple Pay works by double-clicking the side button or Home button on a compatible device, authenticating with Face ID, Touch ID, or a device passcode if requested, and holding the iPhone or Apple Watch near the contactless reader.

Apple Pay can also be used for purchases in supported apps and on websites from iPhone and iPad, avoiding the need to repeatedly enter card, billing, shipping, and contact information.

Mac support is coming soon, according to Apple.

Apple says the actual card number isn’t stored on the device or on Apple servers when a card is added to Apple Pay. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is encrypted and stored in the Secure Element.

With millions of merchants expected to accept Apple Pay from launch, the biggest restriction for now isn’t where customers can spend, but whether they have one of the eligible Axis Bank credit cards needed to use the service.