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NPCI’s NIPL and Qatar National Bank Launch UPI Services in Qatar, Making it the 8th Country to Adopt UPI.

Banking & Finance | Dated: 27 Sep 2025

In September 2025, NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), in collaboration with Qatar National Bank (QNB), launched the Quick Response (QR)-based Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services in Qatar. The service was first enabled at Qatar Duty Free at Hamad International Airport in Doha, marking Qatar as the 8th country to adopt UPI integration.

🎯 Key Highlights:

  • - The agreement enabling UPI services was signed between NIPL and QNB on July 11, 2024. The first merchant to implement the system was Qatar Duty Free at Hamad International Airport in Doha.
  • - UPI transactions are facilitated through NETSTARS, a Japanese Payment Aggregator (PA), with payments converted instantly from Indian Rupees (INR) to Qatari Riyals (QAR) at prevailing foreign exchange rates.

💡 Other Important Facts:

  • (i) The UPI service was launched in phases, beginning with Qatar Duty Free outlets and expanding gradually across QNB’s merchant network through Point of Sale (POS) terminals.
  • (ii) With this launch, Qatar became the 8th country globally to integrate UPI, joining Bhutan, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
  • (iii) The initiative will benefit over 8 lakh Indian expatriates residing in Qatar and Indian tourists visiting the country, boosting retail and tourism sectors by enabling seamless and secure cross-border transactions.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

Which bank partnered with NPCI’s NIPL to launch UPI services in Qatar, making it the 8th country to adopt UPI?

Correct Answer: Qatar National Bank

🚀 Quick Recap:

About Qatar

  • PM : Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani
  • Capital : Doha