ANUSH NARASIMHAN
SAN FRANCISCO/MUMBAI, MAY 24
NRI customers of ICICI Bank can use their international mobile number to make UPI payments instantly in India. This would enhance their convenience of making everyday payments.
With this facility, the NRI customers of the Bank can make payments for their utility bills, merchant and e-commerce transactions with their international mobile number registered with their NRE / NRO bank account held with ICICI Bank in India. The Bank has made this service available through its mobile banking app, iMobile Pay. Earlier, NRIs had to register an Indian mobile number with their banks to make UPI payments.
To bring forth this facility, ICICI Bank has leveraged on the international infrastructure laid down by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for convenient usage of UPI across countries. The Bank offers this facility across 10 countries namely USA, UK, UAE, Canada, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
NRI customers of the Bank can make UPI payments by scanning any Indian QR code, sending money to a UPI ID or any Indian mobile number or Indian bank account.
According to Sidharatha Mishra, Head – Digital Channels and Partnerships, ICICI Bank, “The bank had partnered with NPCI to launch the UPI facility on international mobile number through iMobile Pay. With this facility, our NRI customers residing in 10 countries do not need to switch to an Indian mobile number to pay using UPI.
This launch reinforces our commitment to provide our NRI customers with innovative solutions, for them to have a safe, secure and hassle-free payment experience. We are witnessing a positive response from our NRI customers who have started using this facility. With this initiative, we intend to leverage on NPCI’s UPI Infrastructure in strengthening and transforming the digital payments ecosystem globally”.
According to Karthick Swaminathan, Chief Representative – California & Texas offices at ICICI Bank, Chief Representative – California & Texas offices at ICICI Bank USA, this would be a boon for the NRIs.
(Anush Narasimhan is an intern at navjeevanexpress.com and he is a 11th grader in Summit Tahoma High School in San Jose)
