International 01 September 2026
India's UPI Launched in Uzbekistan
Why in the News?
NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) has signed a commercial agreement with Uzbekistan's national payment system, HUMO (National Interbank Processing Center JSC). This integration allows Indian tourists, business travelers, and students to make cross-border merchant payments in Uzbekistan by scanning UZQR codes using UPI apps.
Key Features / Major Points:
Instant QR Payments: Indian users can scan Uzbekistan's Unified National QR code (UZQR) using their existing UPI apps to perform Person-to-Merchant (P2M) transactions directly from their Indian bank accounts.
Global Reach: Uzbekistan joins countries like Singapore, UAE, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Greece where UPI service has been enabled.
Static GK Facts:
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI): Established: 2008 | Headquarters: Mumbai | MD & CEO: Dilip Asbe.
Unified Payments Interface (UPI): Launched: April 11, 2016 (by NPCI).
Uzbekistan: Capital: Tashkent | Currency: Uzbekistani Som.
One-Liner Quiz (All Competitive Exams):
Q: In which Central Asian nation has India's UPI payment system been enabled via UZQR codes?
A: Uzbekistan
Q: Which international arm of NPCI partnered with Uzbekistan's HUMO payment system?
A: NIPL (NPCI International Payments Limited)
Q: What is the capital and currency of Uzbekistan?
A: Capital: Tashkent | Currency: Uzbekistani Som